HDUI
by Katan Yue
Summary: Riku is a practical investigator who doesn't believe in ghosts. When he gets a new case, he also gets a new partner that will open his eyes to another world. Will Riku be able to handle it? Or will this new world scare him to death.[RikuxSora]
1. Chapter 1

**_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

**_Disclaimer:_** The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**_Rated:_** M for mature audiences because it contains the elements of horror, the supernatural, and might contain Yaoi-ish situations in the future.

**_Alternate Universe_**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**H.D.U.I.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Prologue: Do You Believe? **

_Hello, my name is Riku Rosewater. I am twenty-one years old and I work for the Deep Dive City's Police Department (DDCPD)._

_**Do you believe in ghosts?**_

_Yes, do you believe in ghosts? **Do you believe in critters that crawl at midnight and things that you bump into at night?**_

_You don't have to answer my question just yet._

_Please, just let me tell you my story for a while before you walk away._

_To quell your inquisitive/incredulous look off your face, let me tell you that like you, **I didn't use to believe in ghosts. I was too rational of a person**_**…**_ to believe in magic, the supernatural, or the occult. _

_I used to believe that** the only people you have to fear in this world are those who are amongst the living, rather than the ones who are amongst the dead.**_

_**The dead can't hurt you, but the living sure as hell can.** So many times I've had to clean-up the murder scene and gather enough evidence to commence an investigation. This world is just too cruel, but **it is the ones who are living that commit those heinous crimes. **_

_In fact, I you would have told me back then that you believed in ghosts, I might have recommended you to my older brother Sephiroth, a successful psychiatrist in the city of Midgar._

_**Heck, I still did not even believe in** freaking **ghosts** **even though** the Deep Dive City Police Depar_tment's **_Head Quarters_** **_is situated besides_** **_the_** _Organization XIII's_ _Non-lucrative **Memorial**_** _Cemetery._**

_Not bad, huh?_

**_While the others members of the police force were terrified_** _of having to work near a graveyard,_ **_only three of us played it cool and nonchalant._** _Everyone else claimed to see things that weren't there. They had the ludicrous idea that their belongings were sometimes missing, and they would leave work before midnight._

_That is,_ **_until I met him_**…**_the_** **_boy with the deep cerulean eyes_** _those eyes are always sad, but are always hopeful. It was **he** who **showed me that ghosts truly exist.**_

_Ironically, it was **he who would give me a small taste of what eternity looks like,** and it is not pretty._

_So I beg of you, **please give me a chance to tell my story.** You do not have to believe me, but it would lift a great burden off my shoulders if you were to listen to the story that I have to tell. **Then and only then, might you understand why** it is that **I'm here, in this bench, talking to you tonight…**_

_Just sit tight, open your mind, and listen carefully if you are interested in what I have to say_………


	2. Chapter 2

**_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

**_Disclaimer:_** The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**_Rated:_** M for mature audiences because it contains the elements of horror, the supernatural, and might contain Yaoi-ish situations in the future.

**Word from the Author:** Hey everyone thanks for reading this new story! Because it is going to be Halloween soon, I decided to cook-up this new ghost story for your entertainment. Of course, this means that Cruel Fairy Tales will be placed on-hold for a while, but I'll try to make this a short story.

**_Alternate Universe_**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**H.D.U.I.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Chapter One: Bad Omens **

It was a Tuesday morning before the crack of dawn when I drove from my dwelling on the Memory's Skyscraper to my job on the Deep Dive City Police Department building. As to be expected, it was raining a monsoon out on the city's streets.

Sometimes I wonder why I moved to a rainy, gloomy city like Deep Dive City when I use to happily bask in the warmth of the amber-like sun that shone brightly on the surface of the Destiny Islands. For some odd reason, Deep Dive City is cloudy most of the time, and it is not a grayish cloudy sky either, it is the blackish, cloudy look that you would expect to find in a movie with an apocalyptic theme.

_Oh_……_I remember now_

I came to this city to get rid of the presence of my obnoxious, demanding, and cold father when the only person who loved me, my mother, died of leukemia earlier last year. My father Hojo did always fancy my big brother Sephiroth over me. He is the studious, submissive son that Hojo always wanted and I am the black sheep of the Rosewater flock. My mother Lucrecia was a well distinguished scientist, even more recognized than Hojo; the main scientist of The Shinra Electric Company. My half-brother Sephiroth is a successful psychiatrist in the city of Midgar, while I am the rebel investigator for Deep Dive's police squad. Hojo undermines my efforts of solving complex crimes by calling me just a "simpleton cop".

Believe it or not this city is always full of crime, gangs, murders, suicides, and lots and lots of babies. Stupidly, I attribute most of these occurrences to the fact that it is always raining and that the atmosphere is always gloomy. With heavy rains pouring down on the city all the time, being stuck inside the houses gives people plenty of time to machinate many, many crimes. And if you are not thinking of any crimes to commit, you are probably bored out of your wits enough to be humping like bunnies the rest of the day. Take it from me, I have used those endless rainy days to get a few girls and boys laid for a day…but that is beside the point.

Returning to the subject about Hojo, I guess I should have expected my stepfather's animosity considering that Hojo is not my real father at all. A few years ago, twenty-two to be exact, my mother had an affair with one of her colleagues because Hojo always neglected and never really loved her. Hojo had married Lucrecia because of a bet. He had his own share of scandalous affairs to deal with under the table. As a result of this, my mother found a……substitute for Hojo's lack of love and as a result, nine months later, I was born.

The differences between my brother and I are slightly noticeable, but not all together concealable under a severe, scrutinizing eye. I'm a tad bit shorter than Sephiroth, with perfect, alabaster skin. The color of my hair is a lighter shade of platinum blonde with a softer, smoother feel. My eyes are not the color of emeralds or deep lush forests; instead they are the color of the devious sea. My eyes are aquamarine and very unusual for Hojo's side of the family; so that automatically labels me as the bastard child.

Hojo never lets me forget that I'm the bastard child of Lucrecia's love affair. He is constantly behind my back, breathing down my neck, telling me that whatever I do is nothing but a failure. That is why I took the first opportunity to get away from him, and I moved to this dreadful place as soon as I was able to. He will never, ever forget my mother's transgression and I am the only one paying the price for it.

"**Fuck…!"**

A whispered curse escaped my lips when as I found myself stuck in yet another traffic jam. My thumbs impatiently tapped the sides of the steering wheel in rapid motions as if I were playing an action video game.

_Damn_…_this city **is** getting smaller_…

There in an acrid taste of anger that rises from my esophagus and into my mouth. Not even the double mint gum can take the acid that wells up from the core of my being. This day is beginning to go rotten all of a sudden as if somehow I had woken on the wrong side of the bed.

After twenty-nine minutes of being stuck on the horrible traffic jam, I was barely able to make it to the next exit. Luckily, I was just at the beginning of the vast cemetery and a few blocks from my job. As I rode near the graveyard, I noticed two little kids playing behind the closed iron gates. It was a brief glance of one boy and one girl wearing old-fashioned clothing, like the typical Sunday dress for girls, and the typical navy blue sailor suit combo for boys. These little children were playing around the numerous tombstones like playing in the park. I quickly surveyed the area to see if I could find their mother, but she was nowhere in sight. I sort of frowned to myself at the weirdness of the situation but I made little of it because once again, I was running late.

Soon, the rain had ceased to a flicker of butterfly kisses on the car's windshield wiper. I secretly thanked the various gods for that one little miracle. I thought the day was going to get better from now on……until the car's red, check engine light began to flicker incessantly on the dashboard.

_Shit_……_the wait took it toll on my car!_

I thought bitterly for a split second before I was close enough to have my car stop on the side of the road.

**_Shit_**……

My car skidded to a complete stop halfway through the cemetery and I slammed my hands on the steering wheel in frustration.

**_What the hell is going on_**……. **_Damn it!_**

I slammed my hands on the wheel a second time, kicking my way out of the car. I felt as if the gods were conspiring against me. I slammed the door shut and went to lift the hood of my car. I looked inside it for a while, moving cables and valves before finally giving up. There was a loud whoosh of air that froze my face, and somehow, an unknown force or curiosity compelled me to look to the side where the cemetery lay before me.

**_It was just a glimpse_… **

There, standing amongst the tombstones was another person. He was standing with his back turned to me; his spiky brow hair floating in unison with the now gentle breeze. I felt a chill course through my body and suddenly, my body sprung from my position in-front of my car and toward the person standing near the numerous epitaphs.

My body sprang, out of its own volition, over the metal gate that closed off the cemetery form the outside world of the living. I'll let you know that my body is in great physical condition, so it wasn't hard to make a leap over the tall, seven foot gate; provided it has a horizontal bar right across the middle.

My body unconsciously propelled itself towards the figure coming clear into sight. I tapped his shoulder and gently forced him to turn around and look at me. To my surprise, the stranger complied.

"You shouldn't be here. This cemetery is private property. You are tress passing."

I was taken aback by the boy's deep cerulean eyes. He held a white rose on one hand and a small gold rosary on the other. I also noticed that both his hands were gloved. He looked so incredibly sad. That is all the details I was able to notice before I heard my cell phone ringing from inside the car. The freeway may be crowded, but these parts of the streets are as deserted as a ghost town this early in the morning, so it is enough silence to hear every little sound. My instant reaction was to snap my head towards the direction of the new sound.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing here? Don't you know you're trespassing in private property?"

A coarse grumpy voice instantly caused my head to snap into a new direction almost causing whiplash. "What?" I asked turning to look at my surroundings; noting that I was stupidly standing alone in the graveyard.

"Ya heard me kid. What do you think I am, a fucking idiot?" The blonde man retorted rolling the fag from one side of his mouth to the other.

"But…there was…I mean……someone else…was here too…a boy……I think." I stuttered.

The keeper scoffed at my commentary. "At freaking five in the morning? I don't think so." He took the cigarette out of his mouth and stomped it on the ground. "This early in the morning, not even the dead are up from their graves. Besides, the cemetery is closed until seven a.m." He teased with a smirk. "I'm afraid I have to call the police on you kid, but this is private property."

The caretaker tried to escort me out of the cemetery before I flipped my official detective badge on him. "Damn…" He said with incredulity and yanking the badge out of my hands. "So you're a cop, I'll be damned if I recognized a kid as a cop. What? They only graduate potty-trained forces lately…_huh_…so much for serve and protect."

I rolled my eyes up in semi annoyance before tearing my badge from his hands. "I was here because I saw a young boy with sapphire eyes standing right here." I pointed at the ground for visual stimulus. "And I had seen a couple of kids playing around back there as I was driving through this detrimental place."

"Sheesh……I'll be twice damned today. Did you actually see the kids?"

I nodded my head

"And you stopped the car because you saw a boy with blue eyes?"

I rolled my eyes up in frustration.

"My car died right there." I pointed with my index finger "That is when I saw the boy standing here." I pointed at the ground again.

"Jeez kid, quit spelling it like I'm a retard. Who ever you saw right now must have been your guardian angel or something 'cause many people have had many accidents after looking at those kids. Rumor has it that they are ghosts. Immediately after you see them, you have an accident right by where your car is. Then again, its only a rumor."

He pointed out. "At least that's what people have told me." He turned around and left.

"Aren't you going to open the gates for me?" I asked hesitantly.

"You let yourself in, you can let yourself out." He said as a matter of fact.

_That man had the nerve_….

"Well…at least tell me your name." I yelled back.

"Name's Sid, Sid Highwind." Then he casually walked away as if nothing had happened.

……_phft_……_ghosts_……_as if they could be real. People should learn to get a grip_.

Before I left, I noticed the white rose and the rosary the cerulean-eyed boy had held within his small gloved hands. Instinctively I picked the objects up and placed them securely in my coat's pocket. I don't know. Was I secretly wishing to see him again perhaps? Out of curiosity I squatted closer to the epitaph the mysterious boy had been looking at with such sadness and the words embedded themselves like a branding into my brain.

_Tidus Barlett,_

_May your spirit and intense blue eyes_

_Shine brightly with happiness_

_For ever in the afterlife too_

_Love,_

_Mom._

Truth be told, that day, I was so close to believing in ghosts when I remember those vivid blue eyes staring sadly into mine. By the time I made it back to the car, the rain had already soaked me to the bones. Talk about a rotten day.

OOOOOOO

"Heh…you look like shit, Riku. What happened?"

Kairi, one of my work companions and long time friends greeted me when I entered the DDC Intelligence head quarters dripping wet.

"You wouldn't believe me." I answered a little irritated.

"Try me." She challenged with a raised eyebrow.

I must have given her a threatening death glare because she turned around and went to her working station without a single word thereafter. I know I was acting like such an asshole, but I was having a rotten day. I had woken-up late this morning because my alarm clock decided to give-up on me the night before, I had spent a considerable amount of time stuck in a traffic jam and my car had broken down as a result, to add to my rotten morning, I had to walk the remaining way to the police station under a pouring, unforgiving, unrelenting rain. I did not feel like talking about my problems.

I immediately walked into the locker rooms to change into the spare suit I always kept in reserve for an emergency case like this one. I toweled my hair dry then started to change into the new suit. I fixed my semi-damp hair into a loose ponytail and dashed out the door to get into my working area. Last night I had left a couple of files pending.

"Hey, guess what I have here in my hands?" Rikku, my annoying twin (in name at least), flaunted the file to no one in particular, but I guess it was one of those unexplainable cases that we tend to come across. "I swear this place is creepy!" Kairi, Paine, and Yuna rushed to take a look at the file while Leon, Cloud, Reno and I glanced around with confused looks.

"I knew it!" Yuna exclaimed "This place is really creepy."

"What is it, the third or fourth report this month?" Paine commented with her usual seriousness.

"Yeah…" Kairi pitched in "…it always happens at around the same time. All these people report to have seen two kids, a girl and a boy, about six or seven years of age, playing inside of the cemetery as they drove past it."

"Yup…!" Rikku chirped in, rudely cutting Kairi's narration of the event. "They say that it is just a glimpse of the two children and then they disappear. Just as they are halfway though the cemetery, the children are on the middle of the road, the cars swerve off the path and smash themselves onto the roads containment walls. Isn't it really creepy!" Rikku either faked a shiver or really meant it, but I couldn't tell which.

"Well, what do you expect? We are close to a freakishly, cursed graveyard." Paine added with her usually reserved tone.

Then it hit me, it had been the same kids I had seen playing on the cemetery this morning.

"Hey, Riku!" Rikku yelled over her companions and I could have sworn my ears just started to bleed from all the noise. "You drive through the same path every morning, have you seen those ghosts?"

I shut close one of the files I was holding, and gave her a chiding glare. "There are no such things as ghosts they're probably some pranksters pulling some sort of stunt."

"Boooo…ooo…oo…" Reno booed in a silly, macabre way that was meant to be stupid above all. "Riku…Ri-ku…the ghosts are coming to get you they are saying…be…li…eve…in us." Reno instantly cracked-up in laughter at his own silly impersonation of a specter. I tried to keep my cool as much as I could under the current conditions. Fortunately, Leon did what I had yearned to do for a long time now; he punched Reno in the arm then reprimanded him. "Shut-up Reno, don't be stupid."

"Ow…! You Squall Leonheart- less bastard, what' you do that for!" Reno rubbed his arm in a feeble attempt to quell the pain.

"For being stupid that's why." Leon pointed at him with a pen and I couldn't help but notice Cloud's imperceptible smile. He almost never smiled, he was always quiet and always shies away from everyone, but he seems to work well with his partner Leon and he would always talk a little with me. He talked very little and I was more than surprised when Cloud started talking to me all of a sudden, so the three of us became the best of friends…but there was an important member of the force missing. He had been killed during a risky investigation involving the dangerous gang members called The Nobodies. Ever since then……since that time….

"Riku, Leon, Cloud? The boss wants to speak to you in private."

Yuffie came just in time to interrupt the friendly little bickering between Leon, Reno, and the charming/cheerful quartet. To be completely honest, Yuffie's timing could not have been any better. The three of us immediately rose from our seats to see the chief of the whole DDC Police Department.

OOOOOOO

The three of us entered the boss's spacious office. Like always, Police Chief Uriel Leblanc looked immaculately stunning with his black suit and flowing jet-black hair. Uriel Leblanc was a man in his mid thirties with a commanding appearance, but it was just his quiet, calm, and calculating demeanor that makes him look imposing. He is seriously dedicated to his work and highly proficient at it to boot. No one has ever seen him take a break from his work, and he, in all the time I've known him, has never reported in sick for a single day in his life. Cloud (twenty-four) and Leon (Twenty-six) have never seen him off from work in the five or six years that they have worked here. Uriel Leblanc is a mystery to us all.

"Did you want to see us?" Leon knocked on the door and waited for a reply.

"Please come in and have a seat." Uriel closed the file he was looking at and pointed at the seats in front of his desk. He watched the three of us take a seat on the leather chairs and took the opportunity to get their attention by clearing his throat.

"…Ehem…I wanted to see the three of you today so that we could discuss your next assignments."

"So what are we doing now, boss?" Leon asked.

"There was a very…." Uriel strove to find the right word for the circumstances. "…unusual event on the sandy shores of the Destiny Islands a few years back. A person went missing without a trace to follow. For months they searched for the twelve-year-old boy to no avail. They found no trace of the boy and eventually gave up on the investigation. A few days back however, there was an anonymous tipster that reopened the forgotten case. The point is that I want the two of you to aid with the investigation on Destiny Islands." Uriel pointed at Leon and Cloud respectively. "The investigators in DI are in dire need of assistance, and I have considered, as a favor to a long time friend, to send some of my best men to lend a helping hand." He slid a pair of airplane tickets over to Leon and Cloud. They looked at the plane tickets before looking at each other.

"Sir, if I may…" Cloud began to protest. "Riku came from DI. Shouldn't it be him to take the investigation?"

Uriel shook his head vehemently before responding. "I need him here. There was another incident involving a minor found dead at the banks of the Timeless River. I've already asked Yuffie to place a copy of the corresponding files at your desk." Uriel said by pointing at the original file resting on his desk.

"But, Sir…" I protested. He ignored my objection and addressed my two companions.

"Leon, Cloud you should go home and start packing, you'll be departing tomorrow in the morning, Riku, I need you to stay here a little longer." Uriel instructed me. I watched Cloud and Leon march out the door and then I heard Uriel offer me a drink. He called on her secretary Yuffie and I chose a strong brew of coffee with no milk, no sugar. I needed something strong to hold me though this awful day.

"The Hades Detective Agency has been sent to overlook the progress of this case in person." Uriel held the bridge of his nose in an attempt to make his creeping migraine disappear. "To tell you how serious the situation is The Hades Detective Agency has sent his best judge to preside over your progress in the investigation."

I drank a big gulp from my bitter coffee. I knew where this was headed and I didn't like it one bit.

"On top of that…" Uriel Leblanc continued "…the person they are sending is also the main judge of the Hades Council. He will be your new partner for the time being."

I held tightly onto my coffee mug before I let it slip from my hands. Was _I hearing correctly? A new partner? What the hell?_ I gave him a glare to indicate my discontentment over the situation and I received a knowing look from my boss. I heard Uriel sigh heavily from stress.

"We've already been over this Riku. It has been six months since Axel's death. I gave you more than enough time to recover."

"But Sir-"

"But nothing, Riku. I believe it is time for you to get your bearings straight. How old are you, Riku?"

"I'll be twenty-two next month, Sir."

"Then I expect you to start acting like an adult rather than a spoiled prodigy detective."

"But I'm not ready to-"

"I've already took the initiative for you Riku. You have to let go of Axel's death. It was not your fault. Axel happened to be there on the wrong day, on the wrong time, at the wrong place. No one would have guessed there was going to be a bloody dispute over the members of The Nobodies."

"Still…" I said with a pang of guilt still deep inside my heart.

"Still you closed off to the rest of the world after that unfortunate event; still you refuse to smile, to interact with your fellow companions. You still refuse to accept anyone else."

"You didn't see him bleed until death in your arms; you didn't feel his cold, heavy body giving its last breath. That is something you don't forget overnight…"

"That is why I'm taking the initiative to get you back on track, Riku. I'm assigning you a partner, a partner that just came in today and will stay at your place."

"What? Can't they pay for him to stay somewhere else!"

"Oh, they are the least bit frugal when it comes to their presiding judges, but I think this arrangement will make you more sociable with others, besides, your new partner is new to this city and someone has to act as his guide. Hades needs someone to look after him, you'll understand why. In the meantime, I suggest that you prepare for his arrival. You can take the rest of the day off. That is all I had to say. You can also start by going over the details of this new case or you will be put to shame by a newbie."

I knew I gave him a look of utter disbelief that got easily shot down by his words. I couldn't believe he was doing this to me! I couldn't let a complete stranger stay in my house!

"You're like a son to me, Riku. I would not do anything that would threaten your safety, besides; he no longer has any need for the material tings in life. He only needs the basics like food, clothing, and a roof over his head, until then I want you to take care good of him. If Hades gives me a complaint about your treatment towards their judge, I can assure you its going to be your head on the line and not mine."

_I can't believe Chief Leblanc set me up with a new partner. _

_What is he thinking?_

**I WON'T ACCEPT HIM, PERIOD.**

OOOOOOO

No, I wasn't going to accept a new partner after Axel's death. How could Uriel even think that! Then again, it's my job on the line, and if I go back to Hojo crawling jobless on my knees, I will never hear the end of it. So in the end…I had no choice but to comply.

_Definitely a wretched day for me_…

I did do as Uriel asked me to do and took the day off to make arrangements to my apartment. My apartment is not a big mess, but as a typical working bachelor my living room is full of microwaveable meal trays, coffee mugs, files, reports, and maybe an article of clothing or two. The mess is just in my living room; seeing as how much time I spend doing work in there. It didn't take me long before I went to fetch a couple of blankets and pillows so that the new guest could sleep more comfortably on the couch. Remember; I'm a bachelor and bachelors generally tend to live on one bedroom apartments.

So by eleven o' clock at night I was back at headquarters browsing through the files of my assignment. I sat alone on my working area. The almost deserted halls of the building making every noise become amplified by ten fold. I opened the file and commenced reading. This is the third victim found in four years since the investigations began. The victims are all found dead under the same circumstances, they are all about a certain age, have similarities with their physical traits, and are brutally tortured and raped. The latest victim's name is Roxas Archer age thirteen, blue eyes, blonde hair, and boyish features. He was found dead on the banks of the Timeless River four days ago. Roxas' body was bound with rope and attached to a heavy cement block that prevented his body from floating above water. The forensic examiners reported that the corpse had been dumped on the river six months ago. The victim suffered of many blows to the chest, had five broken ribs, a broken right arm, a broken wrist on the left hand, and a fatal blow to the cranium on top of being raped.

I took another sip from my black coffee mug and rubbed the weariness off my eyes before going to another room to dig for forgotten files. I found the first victim's files and began to read.

Name: Denzel Lockheart

Age: 12

Height: 5''1

Eight: 120lb

Eye color: Blue

Hair color: Brown

I kept on reading through his file and I found out that his body had been found on a dumpster at the city limits of Deep Dive City. Denzel died with similar injuries to those found in Roxas. Apparently, both fought against a perpetrator that was stronger and presumably older than they were. I began reading the second reported case. The second victim's name was Tidus Barlett age thirteen, blonde, blue-eyed. Similar height and similar weight, with those delicate fragile features the other two victims shared, but less broken bones. His body was abandoned on an empty storage facility on the west side of the city with tattered clothes. His mother, who identified the body, reported a golden child's rosary missing from the boy's body. Apparently, that had been a birthday gift given to the deceased who always carried it with him.

**_A small, golden rosary_………**

My eyes widened immediately in realization; today's event still fresh on my mind.

_Tidus Barlett,_

_May your spirit and intense blue eyes_

_Shine brightly with happiness_

_For ever in the afterlife too_

_Love,_

_Mom._

That boy had been looking at that particular grave, with a small rosary on his slender, gloved hands. That was it! I rushed into the locker rooms and opened the combination to my locker's door. I found my driving gloves stashed neatly on a small basket and immediately put them on. I fetched the rosary from my coat's pocket and took it with me to my working area. It was the same as the mother's description of the rosary! I sat baffled in front of all the files. How could it be? Why would another kid have it?

_Did you like the piece of evidence that I found for you._

A musing voice like a whisper carried by the wind coiled into my ears in misty fog and caught me off guard. My curiosity compelled me to search the source of that voice. _Wasn't I alone in this wing of the building or was I going crazy?_ I looked around me and noticed that no one was here, that in fact, I was all alone. Being the curious type, I got up from my chair and went into search mode - quietly inspecting the room and then the hallway.

_I'm glad you liked it_……_I found it especially for you_…

There it was again, that soft wispy voice, a voice so sweet as to be honey. That voice- it drew me to the last room of the entire floor. The room was dark and I stumbled towards the window, not wanting to attract any attention. There was a cloudless full moon tonight that illuminated the last office at the end of the hall. The small office had a panoramic window that gave you a good look of the entire city from its position on the sixth floor. After finding no one, I walked absentmindedly towards the large window and gazed at the bright light of the buzzing city. Some strange force compelled me to look down on the cemetery below me. That is when I saw him, the young boy I had seen earlier this morning, his unruly chestnut colored hair swaying lightly with the breeze. For a moment I lay transfixed by the window and when the boy turned around, I felt as though he was looking straight at me……with his beautiful yet haunting deep cerulean eyes.

"Who are you……?" I breathed out from the spot in front of the window.

OOOOOOO

_Who is this new mysterious person? _

_How is he involved in this mystery?_

_What is he trying to do?_

_Why is he there?_

_Find out on the next installments of_ **_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators!


	3. Chapter 3

**_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

**_Disclaimer:_** The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**Word from the Author:** _Trick or Treat!_ Well, almost…Because I wanted to treat the story's readers to a special pre-Halloween treat, I decided to add a mild yaoi scene between Leon and Cloud because it may be too soon for a Sora and Riku one (if I ever do one).

**General Warning:** Yaoi scene. I will not edit the mild sex scene……trusting that if you feel offended by this material, you tell me and give me a chance to edit or change the chapter before anything happens. **_Enjoy!_**

**_Alternate Universe_**

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**H.D.U.I.**

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**Chapter Two:** **The Hades Detective Unit**

"Who are you……?" I breathed out.

I felt a cold shiver course though my body such as the icy fog that coils through the night. I was captivated by his eyes, such beautiful haunting eyes. I have never seen such a color that matches his eyes. But, he couldn't be looking straight at me because we were a great distance apart. It couldn't be a ghost because he did not match Tidus' description, although the resemblance is very uncanny, and I know for a fact, that ghosts don't exist.

I had to put and end to this curiosity, and with a new found resolve, I rushed towards the cemetery half running, half walking. I was almost breathless by the time I managed to leap over the iron gates. I rushed towards the middle of the cemetery and stopped dead on my tracks, there he was, and as if he had known I was there, he was looking at me with the kindest, most gentle smile I had ever seen since my mother died.

"Who… are… you?" I panted out of breath. "Were did you go earlier this morning…? How did you get that piece of evidence…? Where did you get it…?"

"I found that rosary especially for you…don't you like it?"

"WHERE DID YOU GET IT!"

"Ah…you're hurting me." He said almost softly before I realized I was tightening my grip on the boy's slender and fragile arm. I let go off him with a gasp. _What was I doing?_ I've never hurt anyone so recklessly before.

"Hey you punks…! What are you two doing inside this cemetery, and **you**, didn't I see you earlier today?"

I turned my head to see an angry Cid barking and pointing a finger at me as the guilty culprit for the second time this day. "How did you get in here?"

"I'm Sora Lionelli, the presiding judge of for the Organization of Hades. We need your cooperation in an investigation directly connected to the unsolved murders of teenage boys for the Deep Dive City area."

The petite brunette did not hesitate to introduce himself by showing an ID tag with the information written on it.

"Yeah, yeah whatever, but this doesn't explain how you got in here. I closed this place at seven."

The cemetery's keeper grumpily replied with a seriously annoyed look on his face, and as for me, I was more than surprised that someone like this 'Sora' was the presiding judge of Hades that Uriel had mentioned. I guess he set me up for a babysitting job with a petulant squirt. I saw the boy's gloved hand point towards one of the gates.

"**That** gate was open."

I watched Cid snap his head in the direction of the nearby gates towards the middle of the cemetery with a disbelieving gaze.

"I'll be damned again." He cursed under his breath with skepticism apparent in his voice.

"I need to see the mausoleum where Denzel Lockheart is kept." The blue-eyed brunet stated with an authority that seemed to offend the older man.

"Sure, you can go take a look _if_ I left the doors open."

I noted his 'if' probability that was a mockery to challenge the boyish investigator. What most unnerved me, was the boy's pink supple lips shaped in the form of a sad smile. I guess it sucked being treated as a child because of his youthful looks.

"No problem." Was all that the boy said. Cid and I watched him walk deeper into the graveyard until we lost sight of him. Suddenly, the air around us dropped several degrees lower, causing us to shiver in spite of ourselves. We heard the rustling of the falling leaves, the sound of darkness that surrounded us, and the frigid air constricting our lungs. That was the feeling I had felt after the first time I had seen him near that tombstone. Both of us gave visible shudders and started to follow the path that the pristine boy had taken.

I though about my new partner while Cid and I walked through the desolate graveyard. His body was small and slender, with perfect cream colored skin tinged with the slightest hue of pink. He was clad in a black sleeveless turtleneck sweater with black leather gloves and black slacks. Everything in his appearance implied perfection, maturity, professionalism, and delicateness for a body that looked no older than that on a seventeen year-old child, but his eyes……his eyes were the crowning jewel of majestic beauty.

I had never seen that kind of blue eyes before. My eyes are a rarity, but I've seen the color of my eyes in other people- it may be scarce, but it is there. I don't think the color of his eyes are the most entrancing quality in them, but the deep sadness, the deep wisdom that his eyes reflect is what entrances me into a dumbfounded state. His eyes are the eyes of knowledge, wisdom, unadulterated innocence, and eternity trapped within a child's body. Call me corny, but I imagine an adult trapped in a youthful body when I look at him, but for certain, I do not know.

"Is it me, or this place getting colder by the second…?" Cid's voice shook me away from my reverie and back into the detrimental place that was the cemetery.

"I don't know. Did you see where he went?"

"How the hell should I know!" Cid grumbled between clenched teeth.

**OOOOOOO**

"_Yes, I've already collected what the council requested. Yes, I'm sending it back to the institution. No, the children have not caused any physical damage, so I can't proceed on what we agreed."_

"_So what do you think about your new partner, Sora?"_ The amused voice came through the receiver of the young man's cell phone. The boy gave a small imperceptible twitch of his plump, melon colored lips.

"_I think you set me up for a babysitting job, Uriel Leblanc. Do you think what you did was funny? I'm a soul snatcher, not a healer or restorer like Namine or Shelke. You would have done a lot better by sending one of those two to heal that detective's broken soul rather than me. What were you thinking Uriel?"_

"_He needs wisdom, Sora."_

The young man laughed a bitter laugh that reverberated though out the hollow corridors of the grand mausoleum.

"_Shelke or Namine can give him wisdom; they are older than I am." _

"_He needs the comfort that you can give him by feeling his pain. Shelke and Namine cannot understand such concept."_

"_You are a crafty man, Uri. Let us hope that you are right my dear friend. Uri? I have to let you go now, I think they're here, but before I go, I want you to get the permission to exhume Denzel's body. I also want you to send Yazoo here and take sole custody of the body."_

"_Did you find a reading?"_

"_No."_

"_All right, I'm on it."_

**OOOOOOO**

We found one of the mausoleum doors open. I believe I heard Cid mumble something that was quite incoherent to my ears. We pushed past the creaking doors and stumbled through the dark crypt. It took time before my eyes could begin to discern all of our surroundings that were shrouded by darkness.

There was a click of a cell phone and then Sora's voice saying "…in here…" Cid and I walked through the main corridor then took a left towards the last chamber which read; Proof of Existence. The petite-looking boy was tracing an ungloved hand though Denzel's epitaph.

"It's cold." He whispered in a low voice that I barely missed what he was saying.

"Don't tell me that door was open too!" Cid interrupted the revering silence of the 'Proof of Existence' chamber. The smaller boy directed his attention towards us and gave a sweet, vague smile.

"No."

"What the hell do you mean by 'no'? How'd you get inhere?" Cid questioned but received no answer.

"It's so cold……there is nothing left in here."

Cid and I stared at each other with puzzled expressions. The look of the boy's face was melancholic. I watched the slender had trace the letters inscribed in the plaque with his fingertips, his eyes going downcast with shared grief and reverence.

"No emotions…no afterthoughts…no afterimages left…just unbearable coldness..."

Sora covered his hand with the glove once again ad directed his attention towards us.

"Ugh…they're dead?" Cid tried to explain rationally.

Sora regarded Cid with another melancholic smile "No one dies without leaving something behind them……that is their true proof of existence on earth as well as in the afterlife."

"Like Tidus' rosary?"

"Yes, in his death, his proof of existence, as well as his perpetrator's proof of existence lays within the energy and finger prints found within that object."

"Energy…?" Cid and I asked in perfect unison.

"It is early for both of you to understand. At any rate…" Sora started to retrace his way back towards the exit. "Yazoo, our forensic examiner will come tomorrow morning with his team of scientists to exhume Denzel's body."

"What!?"

"Yes, Deep Dive City Police Department has already granted us permission. You can expect Yazoo as early as six."

**A**fter that, Sora and I left towards the police headquarters. I noticed that tonight was a particular cold night in general. Today's downpour had turned the usually cool city into an icy sepulcher of darkness with only the moon to give us light. I exhaled a puff of air from my lungs that turned into a fogy misted breath, which is when I realized how cold the weather had gotten and that my new partner was only wearing a sleeveless turtleneck that made me shiver in wintriness even by glancing at him. _Wasn't he cold too? _I wondered with a little amusement. Feeling generous today, I took off my coat and draped it over my partner's delicate shoulders. He glimpsed at me, giving me a comforting, thankful smile that made me feel fuzzy and warm inside. It even made me forget that I had one less article of clothing to cover me from the piercing coldness of the night.

_Was any people's smile supposed to make you feel a certain way just by looking at them? _

Then I remembered my mother's smile, her sweet gentle smile, the smile that melted my fears and insecurities away. How I wish that I could speak to her again, just one more time.

"Thank you."

Sora's words brought me back from those old, candy-coated memories and into my harsh reality. "You're welcome." I assured the young boy beside me. It was hard to believe that he was an investigator like me. He looked so young; it was almost like looking into the pictures of those poor defiled victims.

"How old are you?" I asked trying to start a decent conversation. I really did want to get to know him better, and because he reminded me of someone I had forgotten after all those years. I think I broke and important promise that I can not remember.

"Twenty." Was my partner's simple answer "And you?"

I chuckled slightly. I was one year older than him, how strange, he looked a lot younger than twenty. "Twenty-one, but I'll be twenty-two early next month."

I gathered a few items before leaving the building. I felt rather tired, I imagined that my new partner would want to rest as well.

"Do you have a car?" I asked as we headed out the main building.

"No, do you?"

"No, my car broke down this morning." I said with a slight hint of disappointment. "Let me call a cab." I took my cell phone out and noticed the cell phone's 'low battery' warning before it shut down completely. "Shit…" I cursed and shoved the Motorola Sliver phone back into my suit's pocket. I had traded Sora my suit's overcoat for the thicker trench coat I always wear on rainy days.

He looked at me with curiosity "Is there something wrong?"

"My cell phone died on me, again."

I heard him trying to contain a chuckle by placing a hand over his mouth. Too bad that my coat was too big for him and he ended-up looking like a five year-old child wearing his father's big clothing. It was an endearing sight.

"Here, you can have mine." He took his Motorola Razor and handed it to me. "So you can call them. I'm new here, remember?" Sora told me after a while of giving him a wide-eyed confused look.

"Oh, yeah, that's right!" I felt like such a dork at that moment. I dialed a cab company and gave the receptionist directions on where to go. We waited for the cab for a good thirty minutes before we saw him. I told the cab driver to take us to Memory's Skyscraper as diligently as he could. The cab driver viewed us from the rear-view mirror and I clearly saw his lips articulate a voiceless 'faggots' from his extremely chapped lips.

_Damned that fucking idiot…_

**W**e arrived to Memory's Skyscraper at around twelve-twenty five in the morning and I felt rather exhausted.

"Are you sleepy?" Sora asked when I yawned with a mouth wide open. Quickly, I used a hand to cover my mouth. Just because I lived alone in my apartment for so long, it did not mean I could forsake my manners.

"I'm sorry." I excused my self and led him to sit on the black leather sectional sofa. Looking at how small and fragile-looking Sora was, I felt rather awful to make him sleep at the couch.

_Besides…what kind of stingy host would allow someone who looks like a pristine porcelain doll to sleep in something so classless like a sectional sofa?_

I was seriously debating between leaving him the bed or offering the boy to stay with me in my room without sounding like a lecherous freak. Biting my lower lip and putting the gears in my head to start working, I came to the conclusion that I should be a gentleman and leave the bed to him.

"I can stay on the couch, there is no problem really."

_What!? How did he know! Did I think out-loud? Oh my god I'm going crazy today…_

There was no room left for argument so I left towards my room to fetch for some blankets to keep my guest warm during the night. He settled down without so much as a word. I flipped the light switch off and headed straight for my room. Tossing my suit out on the laundry basket, I switched to more comforting clothing that consisted of only black sweatpants and nothing else. Hey, when you got the building's heating and cooling control system regulating the room's temperature, you don't have to worry about freezing to death, but you can safely snuggle under a few blankets for comfort, if you desire. I switched all the lights off and flopped down on my comfy bed. In a few minutes, deep sleep consumed me.

**OOOOOOO**

_I was running down the sandy beaches of Destiny Islands. The sun stroked my milky-white skin to a burn, but it did not matter. I was happy. The laughter of my own giggles and laughs rose up to my ears with its joyous melody, I had never felt so happy, so secure, so needed, it was then that I realized that I was not alone. I was holding a smaller hand in mine; he was about the age of four. I saw my body as I had been sixteen years ago when I use to live on the sunny islands of Destiny Islands. The cool, gentle breeze ruffled my silvery hair with love. _

"_**Wikku? Wait-up!"**_

_My younger companion pleaded. I tried to look down on my fried to see his face, but the sun blinded my eyes. I raised my hands to cover my blinded eyes from the scorching sun._

"**_Pwease don't weve me_…" **

_My younger friend cried with desperation as I let go of his hand. I quickly uncovered my eyes to see where my friend was, but when I opened my eyes, there was nothing but absolute darkness._

**OOOOOOO**

**I** sat-up with a start, sweat beads rolling down my sculpted body, my breathing was uncontrollably ragged. Why had I dreamt that? I had not had a nightmare like that since I had been ten. What was wrong with me? My mouth fell terribly dry. I liked my lips and smoothed my hair back with my hands in a pathetic attempt to regain my composure. I lifted the covers off the bed and quietly padded down to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Just by stepping out onto the hallway, I could feel the chilling cold of the apartment. Was the heating system even working? Well it should work in an expensive place like this small, luxurious condo in Memory's Skyscraper.

I walked past the living room and noted that the balcony's window was wide open. The nightly breeze was seeping from the full, panoramic window into the rooms. It was then that I took note on my new companion that was out on the balcony, looking at nothing in particular.

**OOOOOOO**

"_Man, I'm tired_..._"_

Was Leon's first statement as he stretched out his aching body from an eight hour flight to Destiny Islands, he looked at the fading sun from the hotel's closed windows and loosening the hindering tie from his work suit.

"…_really hot too_…_"_

He fanned himself with a pamphlet he had gotten at the hotel's reception when they signed inn. He turned on the small fan adjacent to the window in a desperate attempt to disperse the humid hot air. Leon then rummaged though his luggage trying to find something more comfortable to wear.

"_Then you should take a refreshing bath or shower." _

Cloud suggested casually from the bathroom's doorway. Leon's eyes roamed over the blonde's sculpted body with interest. Only a towel was separating the blonde from complete nakedness. Leon watched with increasing interest and desire as Cloud made his way towards his luggage in a nearby chair.

"_I'm too tired to take a bath."_ The older investigator answered, lazily making his way towards the younger blonde and wrapping his arms from behind his younger companion.

"_Hmm_……._I thought you were tired."_

"_Not enough to let this opportunity pass me by."_

Leon assured by placing a gentle kiss on Cloud's naked shoulder. He traced his lips from one shoulder to the next, then down the moist spine. Leon reveled on the slight shivers his actions elicited from his lover. He also loved Cloud's scent of cucumber melon soap, courtesy of the hotel's toiletry samples.

"……_Leon_……_"_

Cloud whispered breathlessly when his auburn haired lover led him towards the bed. Leon, not wanting to waste an opportunity to ravage his lover, pushed Cloud gently into the springy mattress. He proceeded to unwrap the clingy towel from Cloud's slim body, carefully exposing his most desired prize.

"…_Ah_…_Leon_…_"_

Cloud gave a sharp gasp when he felt Leon's plump lips graze tenderly over his awakening member.

"_Hmm_…_?"_ Leon taunted from his spot in between his lover's smooth thighs. He was about to lick his lover's length, when the phone began to ring.

**_Ring_……….**

**_Ring_………._Ring_……**

Leon stretched to reach the treacherous phone with the full intent of slamming it back on its base, but Cloud was able to reach it before he did and answered. The auburn haired investigator watched the color drain from his boyfriend's face. No sooner had the meek blonde heard the voice from the other side of the telephone line that panic coursed though him, making him push Leon away from him as he focused on the call.

"_Chief Reeve Tuesti?"_ Cloud's voice was full of concern and shame of being caught in the act, metaphorically at least.

"_Uh-huh_……_yes, we'll be there tomorrow morning at eight, Sir_……_Uriel sends you his regards too."_

Leon was beyond pissed at the intrusion, but he deemed it amusing how Cloud covered his body back with the towel despite the fact that there was no one inside the room but them. He grinned naughtily and started to kiss his way up from Cloud's exposed toes. Leon was immediately stopped by having a pillow thrown directly at his face.

"_Yes, I understand Chief Tuesti. We'll keep the investigation as discrete as we can."_

Leon scowled in disapproval but was put into line by Cloud's serious glare. Leon knew better than to challenge the serious blonde. To the serious blonde, work came before anything else including pleasure. _Jeez_…Leon thought…_Cloud should learn to take everything less serious_…_plus, he needs to get laid_……_fortunately for him, I'm here to remedy his situation_……

Finally Cloud ended the phone conversation. No sooner had Cloud placed the phone back to its place, that Leon took the opportunity to pounce his lover and start with his intended foreplay. Without any serious business to attend at the moment, the young cop allowed himself to be pleasured by his ardent, horny lover.

There was a fit of giggles when Leon started kissing his way up Cloud's soft feet, then there was a soft moan when Leon reached the thighs, a sharp whimper echoed though out the hotel suite when the brunette licked the younger man's swollen member. Leon decided teased his lover by ignoring his aching member for a moment and instead focused his attention to the appealing little navel in Cloud's toned stomach.

"_Ghnn_…_Leon_…_I_…_"_

"_Shhh_…_"_ Leon quieted Cloud with a tender kiss on the lips and a grind of his hips against his lover's. _"Be patient little kitty."_

It had been a long time since Cloud and Leon had had the opportunity to detach themselves from their stressful lives and enjoy a time for sex and relaxation. If they weren't stuck together solving crimes in Deep Dive City, they were flocked by relatives and friends without consideration for their intimacy. So, Leon decided that tonight was as good a night as any to regain a little bit of intimacy between the two.

He trailed moist kisses down Cloud's stomach until he reached the warm crevice in between his legs. He took Cloud's manhood in his hands and with careful strokes he began pumping the hot, throbbing length. _"_……._Ah_……_!"_ Cloud moaned loudly. His hand that had been clutching the comforter for dear life began to curl them-selves on Leon's thick auburn hair. _"Leon!"_

The auburn-haired male who had taken his time teasing his impatient lover, began to suckle the hot, throbbing length in his mouth. He ran his teeth over the pulsing member, licked and gently nipped at the tip; he even gave careful, sucking motions to Cloud's cock as he inserted his fingers inside his lover to stretch him out. The elder cop enjoyed having his lover writhe in wanton desire before him. He did his best to keep a steady rhythm between the sucking motion of his mouth, and the thrusting of his fingers inside his beloved's body, until he heard a sharp cry from Cloud.

"…_Ah_…_ahh_……_Ahhhhh_……_!"_

Cloud arched his back for a few seconds before collapsing tiredly onto the springy mattress. Leon decided that he would not last long himself if he kept the little game longer than they had to. They were both tired from the trip and had had no sex for quite some time. He would have wished to make their night together eternal, but because they had to work early tomorrow, he decided to claim his prize.

"…_Ah_…..._Leeonnn!"_

He watched through lust filled eyes as his lover's sweaty body arched sensually when penetrated. The wet sounds of sex filling the room alongside ardent cries and breathless panting. Leon began a slow rhythm – thrusting his hips at a mellow pace. The steady thrusts became rapid plunges inside Cloud's tight entrance. Leon's pace began to speed-up and then slowed down until they reached their long awaited climax with releasing cry.

That night, they lay motionless on one of the two beds in the room. Leon watched Cloud being taken by the deep confines of sleep. He inhaled Cloud's scent deeply; he was too tired to go to his bed. Both men lay spooned together on a one person bed, tightly holding onto each other, tomorrow would be another day.

**T**he next day, both men were at the Destiny Islands Police Headquarters speaking with Chief Reeve Tuesti.

"_I asked my long time friend, Uriel, to see if we could have mutual help with the pre teen murders in Deep Dive City. Have you heard of it?"_

"_Yes, Sir." _

Reeve Tuesti, a handsome man of thirty-eight years of age paced nervously around his office. He had a hand beneath his chin in a contemplative manner. Reeve Tuesti's wavy brown hair was tied back in a ponytail; his smoldering blue eyes focused on some important files in his hand.

"_I called Uriel a couple of days ago to inform him of an anonymous tipster. This tipster, she indicated that all the boy's mothers had worked for Shinra at his mansion at some point in their lives." _

Reeve Tuesti kept pacing with rapid steps as he tried to solve the new mystery. He looked at the two younger detectives and gave them the file he had been holding so possessively before

"_We started investigating the leads of the anonymous tipster and so far, everything matches with her statement. At some point, the mothers of those murdered children worked as maids at Shinra's estate. Denzel's mother worked here in DI, while Tidus' and Roxas' mothers worked in Deep Dive."_

"_So if this information is true, where can we find this woman?"_ Cloud questioned with a serious tone._ "She might know more than she telling."_

"_True, but this is where the case takes a more bizarre turn. She was found dead on her humble home here in DI."_

"_So she was murdered?"_ Leon interrupted as he flipped through the pages of the file.

"_We do not know for certain. Apparently, she died from a heart attack, or at least that is what the hospital's post mortem report indicated."_

"_So if she wasn't murdered, and she died of natural causes, how are we supposed to continue this case?"_ Leon stared at the files with rage. He could do no more to help the poor victims of the horrible crimes committed against their young defenseless lives.

"_That is why I asked Uriel to lend me two of his best detectives."_

"_Even so_…_"_ Cloud added quietly _"Shinra is a very powerful man. He controls the energy monopoly; he will be a hard man to investigate without further evidence, even if he is just a suspect for the time being."_

"_That is true, Cloud." _

Reeve Tuesti agreed. Shinra was one of the most powerful people on earth. He was the owner of all the electrical plants that fed electricity to all the cities, towns, and countries. Shinra had many influential friends in high places. Even if Shinra was a suspect, it would be hard to open an investigation against him.

"_Leave this investigation to us Chief."_ Leon added confidently. Cloud nodded and finished what Leon was about to say.

"_For the time being, we should keep the information we have under-wraps."_

"_You two can take today off and look over the information carefully. Give me back whatever you come up with."_ Chief Tuesti instructed and dismissed the two eager investigators.

**OOOOOOO**

_Who are you?_

_Riku_…

_Well, stay here; I've got nothing to say to you._

_What!_

_Sora! Long time no see. I've been expecting you. I did as you suggested. _

_Thank you._

_I hope it's to your liking. Right this way._

**T**he next day I was more than Pissed with the pompous silver-haired jerk. His name was Yazoo…something…I can't remember his last name, but he is an identical copy of both Sephiroth and me. He was arrogantly rude with everyone he came in contact with for the exception of Sora; which he treated like the most delicate rose in a garden. I don't know why that made so unnervingly jealous. I do not know what they did with Denzel's body or Roxas' fresh corpse for that matter. All I'm privy to is the fact that Sora so graciously dragged me here.

My watch signaled 12:00 p.m. in classical Roman Numerals, a desperate sigh escaped my lips, I flipped the pages of a Newsweek magazine for a second time, and drop it carelessly on a glass table of the reception room. The place was gloomy, a gloomy white, not just any white, but a depressing hospital white, the type of white that makes you feel like a hospital's morgue or operation room. I think that Sora called this the 'white building'. Well, at least my car had been fixed an hour ago.

"Hey…" Sora called me from the door to the laboratories. He sounded very sad, as sad as those deep cerulean eyes that remind me of crystal blue lakes whenever I see them.

"Why are you so sad?" I asked out of curiosity, my hands carefully lifting up his chin.

"I didn't feel anything…"

_What?_

"Do you want to go back to the condo?" I asked in a gentle manner. Sora seemed so fragile at that moment, I was glad when he said "Yes".

**B**ack at my place, I handed a warm cup of chocolate to Sora. The day was cold again and it was raining outside. His luggage had arrived earlier this morning with a few sets of clothed and other basic toiletries. Despite that, Sora had no coat. He never appeared to shiver or freeze in the cold weather caused by the rain. Last night I don't think he even slept a wink. In the morning, I had found Sora in the same position I had found him two nights before; out on the balcony staring at nothing newsworthy of comment. He, his actions, they were a mystery to me. Every time he spoke, his words were like an enigma to my untrained ears.

"The first night I met you…" I asked hesitantly, the lump in my throat getting bigger. "What did you mean by the 'energy' and 'the proof of existence' and why are you always wearing gloves? Are your hands…?"

Sora shook his head from side to side and placed his delicate index in an attempt to hush my ranting.

"My hands are perfectly fine, see?"

He showed me perfect, ungloved fingers with a delicate structure and skin, the skin of ripe cream colored peaches. There was an impulse inside of me that beckoned me, that lured me to take his small hands in mine and examine them carefully, but he pulled away with a brusque movement before I could even reach his hands.

"………"

There was a moment of silence that passed between us. I watched him cover his hands with the gloves before giving me an apologetic look. "Sorry about that…" He said with a smile. "For an empathic person like me, the hands become……are most important." Sora's gloved hands curled in mine, giving my hands a gentle squeeze as if saying 'sorry, I hope you understand' type of consolation.

"Empathetic." I voiced quietly lost in thought. "Empathetic? Like feeling what other people feel? Like seeing with your hands the things that people feel?"

"Yes, exactly what you said."

"But that's not logical…it can't be."

"Why? Does everything have to have an explanation?"

"………I………"

"There are many things in this world that cannot be explained. Can you logically explain life, love, death, and everything that falls in between?"

"No."

"See? Do not be afraid of logic, logic is good. There is always a time for logic, a time to think, but there are times when there are no such things as 'logic' to explain certain things or events that cannot be defined, explained, or scrutinized by simple logic."

"And you don't fall under the logical category, do you?"

There was a streak of uncertainty in my voice. I sat on the sofa with my hands clasped about my head. What is Sora? Why sweet talk me into believing something that cannot exist in this world? Is he trying to trick me? Am I that gullible to him? Why, why do this to me…I was raised by my family to be logical, practical, and precise. There are no such things as ghosts.

"Do you believe in the supernatural?" I snapped from my thoughts and looked-up at Sora who was smiling down on me with a gentle, understanding smile.

"Supernatural as in ghosts?" The question was asked hesitantly, with a hint of fear and disbelief. I saw Sora shake his head vehemently from left to right. "No…" He said "…there are a lot more things that qualify as supernatural. Some of these things can be good or bad, like the rosary."

"The rosary?" I asked with a certain chill coursing through my body.

"Yeah, it all depends on the situation. Here, let me show you."

Sora opened the windows that led to the balcony and stepped out into it. He turned around and looked at me directly with his calm cerulean pools. _The warmth was so beckoning_…

He extended his hand to me. There was a childish excitement in his features that signaled for me to go to him without a second thought or hesitation. _Why did I trust him so?_

I walked into the spacious balcony. The rain had ceased from falling, there was a reddish sky looking down at the whole bustling city below, a few puddles of rain water were collected in the balcony, the smell of wet earth coming from several potted plants in the balcony filling our nostrils with its sweet musky scent. _How is it that I noted this all of a sudden?_ Beats me.

"I want you to place a hand right here." Sora instructed like a gentle teacher who teaches new concepts to his students for the first time. I placed my hand on the rail of the balcony where Sora had touched it, nothing, I felt nothing.

I watched Sora peel a glove off his hand and gently put his soft small hand above mine.

**_What I felt at that time_…_what I felt at that moment_…_it was_…**

**OOOOOOO**

What did Riku Feel? What will Leon and Cloud find out next?

Find out in the next installment of **H.D.U.I!**


	4. Chapter 4

**_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

**_Disclaimer:_** The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**Word from the Author: **_Happy Halloween!_ Sorry about the delay. My two-year-old nephew just came to live with us for a while and he demands constant attention. On top of that, I have school, work, homework, and family to deal with besides my writing, so I won't be able to finish by the 31st. There is one more chapter left and then the epilogue before the story is done; which I will try to finish as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience and I'll try to proofread it later.

**_Alternate Universe_**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**H.D.U.I.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Chapter three: **The Sea of Painful Memories

"I want you to place a hand right here." Sora instructed like a gentle teacher who teaches new concepts to his students for the first time. I placed my hand on the rail of the balcony where Sora had touched it, nothing, I felt nothing.

I watched Sora peel a glove off his hand and gently put his soft small hand above mine.

**_What I felt at that time_…_what I felt at that moment_…_it was_…**

_**The most beautiful warm sensation that cannot be described by words alone….**_

Yes, this indescribable feeling of warmth coursing like a river flood in my veins, it was the most beautiful thing one can feel in this world. Even though I cannot commence to describe such a wonderful feeling, and even though I'm no poet to capture the true essence of this feeling of pure light, I will try to describe it the best that I am able to. Only for you will I be able to do this.

Imagine a circle of light the size of a golf ball. Strange, I know, but bear with me. Within that small fragment of light, lies the warmth of the sun itself. No, I'm not kidding. Think about the dreary winter with its cold chilling nights with cloudy skies. Think about the cold air that cuts through your warm body as it pierces your core making it cold, freezing your soul with it, well, now think about the first rush of spring, when beautiful flowers bloom, the birds begin to sing, and the butterflies begin to flutter gently in a baby-blue sky with it's slightly breezy morning. Think on how those wonderful days, the barely tender sun hits your skin with its very first rays of bright warm light.

Have you ever noticed how your skin tingles with the first ripples of soft, gentle warmth after your skin was previously frozen by the piercing cold of winter? No? You should notice it the next time you feel it. Now imagine the happiest moment of your life –how you utterly reveled in the happiness and basked under its glorious light. Imagine the time you thought happiness was eternal and would never end. Try to remember the last time you felt secure and comfortable under someone's protective embrace. Can you close your eyes and weave these thoughts together and make them one?

You can't? Well, I told you, what I felt was not a feeling that you are totally able to describe at will. Too bad though, I hope that one day, you'll be able to feel it and recall it whenever you might need it. That was the feeling I had when I placed my hand on the old rail of my condo's balcony.

"Did you like this feeling?" Sora asked after removing his hand from mine.

"Yes." I simply nodded, feeling the sadness of not being able to feel this feeling a little bit longer.

"Can you explain the rationality behind this feeling" Sora asked, hands propped on the railing, a dreamy smile on his angelic face.

"No." Was my lame response "I can't explain it."

"Did you know this was an afterthought left by someone in this very place a long time ago?"

He looked at my confused look for a moment and then smiled patiently at me.

"Long time ago, there was a boy, younger than you at that time. He was searching for someone, someone dear to him. He was trying to redeem the bad actions he committed against his best friend. His will to help that friend, forged the afterimage that you were able to feel today, so he jumped, a leap of faith to help his much adored friend."

"What happened next?" I asked after a long hesitation from his part. I felt like such a gullible sucker at that time, but I had felt it, seen it with the eyes of my soul, I could not have been so mistaken.

"I don't know" Sora answered briefly looking down the city below the balcony. "What you felt is the same thing I felt. You saw and felt through my eyes, my skin, my heart. That is the only afterimage he forged in this building as the proof of existence to his devotion for a dear friend. He left nothing more after that. My job as a member of Hades is to investigate and follow the leads of afterimages and thoughts."

"You are always up here, is it because you like this 'afterthought'?"

"Yes…you could say that."

"I can't blame you. It is a good feeling. Are all the feelings like this?" I asked with revering curiosity at a new concept that I was beginning to see for the very first time in my life.

"No, some thoughts and images are good, while others are bad or just painful…too painful to withstand."

"……Oh……"

**T**he hot sprinkling of the warm shower gave a small, lightheaded comfort as I stood underneath the pouring water. After all the things I had gone through today, a relaxing shower was certainly welcomed. The feeling that I had had earlier this morning still tingled inside my skin. I remember thinking that it would be nice to be able to feel good natured feelings all day, like the hippie feelings of peace and love professed so long ago, all day, all night, then the world wouldn't be so violent and cruel.

_**Are all feelings as nice and warm as this one?**_

_No, there are good feelings as well as bad and sad feelings._

_**What other kind of feelings can you feel?**_

_Feelings of pain, rage, mistrust, murder, insanity, etc, etc, etc, are impregnated into this plane when violent crimes are committed._

_**So what happens when people die under brutal circumstances?**_

_Some of these people die in shock and outrage. They don't want to believe that they died._

_**So what happens when someone dies?**_

_When people die, they go to Hades where the souls separated into different classes and sections. So these people become spirits, some are peaceful, some want revenge._

_**You are saying that all spirits go to Hades?**_

_Yes_…

_**Then how come people claim to see ghosts or talk to spirits? That doesn't make sense.**_

_Well, these people either refuse to depart to the spirit world, they linger to do something important that they forgot to do while they were alive, or they died too suddenly to understand that they are now dead…that is why people with the gift of clairvoyance can see into the spirit world. But those who crossed into Hades cannot be contacted like some psychics claim to do._

**_Aha_…_I knew psychics were a hoax!_**

_No, not necessarily. These are spirits pretending to be someone else._

**_Pretending_…**

_Yes, pretending. You see, the spirit world is full of good and bad spirits…light and dark, but the spirits are trapped safely within Hades until someone opens a portal into the real world._

**_A portal_…**

_That is right, you see, when you do an incantation to summon bad spirits, when you use their names, you can call the forward, but the most popular method of escape for the spirits are the 'Talking boards'._

_**Talking boards?**_

_They are most commonly known as Ouija Boards._

………**_Ohh_………_but how?_**

_When people make unguarded partial contact with any medium, you tend to open many portals into the world of the living. With so many portals open, there are spirits who are bound to cross._

_**Can sins ever be forgiven? Can crime ever stop?**_

_I don't know_…

_**But, how do you know all the rest?**_

_It's a secret_……

If so, all of our sins would be washed away into obliterated nothingness. If crimes ceased to exist, then I would have to find another job for me to do; no crime, no police, no churches, mostly nothing. I wouldn't mind looking for another profession though, but imagine how many jobs would be eliminated without crime. Sometimes I think that in this twisted world of mockery and deception, crime may be a sad and necessary evil. This world is just too sad and cruel, yet I wish there were no more crimes.

Something gave me a first class trip to reality. I thought I heard the phone ring once or twice before it stopped. I have no prospect of time elapsed between the morning and my conversation with Sora, but I guessed it would be sometime in the afternoon. I finally closed the running warm water before I got ready to get out of the shower. I opened thee glass door to get my towel……when…

"You've got a phone call. I think it is someone named Sephiroth. It sounds very important."

I got startled by Sora who was standing in front of a naked me, holding the cordless phone so that I could take my brother's ostensibly 'important' call. I for one was stupefied in my spot, unable to think or to react, unable to blink or move to reach my towel in time. I was completely exposed to indifferent and uncaring eyes.

_Fuck_…_! Did the kid ever knock? How can he ghost around the house and I can't hear him! What kind of manners was he taught as a child!_

He left the phone atop of the toilet's tank lid and left the bathroom with a stoic expression. Incredible…not a single batting of full, thick lashes, and here I was, sporting tomato red blush. _Damn it_… Sometimes I'm too slow.

"Hello, Sephiroth?"

I could hear the trademark suave chuckle from the other side. It is definitely my brother 'Sephy' on the other side of the line.

"**Do you have time? I would love to visit you sometime."**

I heard my brother's voice so distant. I wondered why he was calling. It had been a long time since we last saw each other.

"Yeah, sure, when?"

"**Today."**

"Today! What time!?"

"**In half an hour. Bye, I'll see you then." **

_Click_**…….**

"What!?"

I scrambled out of the shower with lightning speed and reflex. I've never seen a chicken with their head cut off, but I'm sure as the expression goes, that I was acting like one. I threw my clothing back on and made a mad man's rush to frantically make the house seem more spotless. Sephiroth is the strictly clean type with the immaculate house in the whole wide world. I have my humble abode mostly clean, but I have to admit that I don't dust as often as I should, maybe once every three or four months, but Sephiroth is different. He is more self-conscious of dirt, dust, and microscopic spots on furniture, dishware, and everything else. As soon as you step inside his lavished dwelling, it feels like being blinded by a mirror in the sun, that is how squeaky-clean his place is.

I asked Sora if he could help me and was surprised that he actually took his time cleaning the living room better than I had –considering the time allotted. Just a few minutes before the time ran out, I heard Sora say that he had received an important call, that he would probably come later tonight, if he came at all. A few seconds later, Sephiroth was standing at the door.

"Hello, Riku. I see that for once you have a more decent place to live." Was Sepriroth's sneering remark when his fingers dusted the small glass table near the door.

"I'm glad you approve your royal highnesses. I hope my humble abode is enough so that you may not look down on us, your humble servants."

We are usually throwing curveballs at each other. It is not that we hate each other, but Hojo has made it his mission in life to put an icy buffer between us. I've rarely seen him since his high school days, when I was five or six years of age. Hojo made sure to keep Sephiroth as far away from mother and me, even though he loved our mother.

"Do you have to be so melodramatic all the time? I just came to see how my younger brother is doing living on his own, no need to get all sentimental."

"It's a rarity to see you, what gives?"

I gestured for him to take a seat on the sofa while I made coffee to start amiable conversation.

"I came to give you this." Sephiroth proceeded to place a small jewelry box on the table when he saw me enter the living room with a pair of hot coffee mugs.

My fingers fumbled to open the small porcelain box. In it, I found my mother's favorite onyx heart-shaped pendant incased in a golden filigree shell. Tenderly, I touched the cold metal case and the exposed onyx stone. "But, that's my mom's…"

"Yes…" He took a sip form his decaf and leaned back comfortably on the sofa. "**Our** mother's jewelry box. I thought that you might want it since Hojo is having a garage sale with all of our mother's belongings."

"What!? He can't –"

"He can and he will, Riku. Mother left out of her will what they should do with her belongings found in Hojo's house after she died."

"It is still too soon for Hojo to start celebrating mother's death! That fuck'n son of a bitch, how can he!"

"Calm down, I salvaged what I could and stored it on a storage facility in DI. I came a little too late to do much, but I know how attached you were to her."

I took a deep breath and swallowed the bitter vile of my anger. That bigot dared to celebrate my mother Lucrecia's death by conducting a blow-out sale of my most cherished memories with her. That is the reason why I hate the bastard so much.

"Do you remember how our mother would make us help her bake cookies and muffins on her free times?" Sephiroth started to divert my attention from the anger I was feeling.

"Yeah, we always use to help her, and at the end of the baking session, we would get to eat unlimited amount of goodies."

"The fall before I started college, do you remember the name of your little friend, the one our mother use to go crazy and overprotective of?"

"What friend?"

"Did you forget, the petite boy, pretty as a girl, very delicate, the one you gave your first kiss to? Ah…your tender initiation into the wonderful world of bisexuality, Riku Rosewater."

"Oh, shut-up Seph, at least I'm open about my bisexuality, unlike you, you closeted queer..."

My cheeks flared-up at that moment. I knew my brother was being friendly with that tease. I can remember my mother teasing me about it with her gentle, caring smile.

_Do you like your friend that much? My boy_**…**_he's growing up so soon. I can remember when he was a wee bit old_**……**

Our mother would coo musically and tenderly elbow my brother on the ribs, even when I was six years old. There was NO way was I going to do anything like I do now a day. Back then everything was simpler, more innocent. I remember Lucrecia encouraging us to be ourselves no matter what. She taught us to be outgoing and outspoken. We were out to conquer the planet. I guess that would be her legacy in us, too bad that Sephiroth lost that confidence along the way. He let himself be manipulated by Hojo's ideals and not his own.

"…Besides, It was your fault…" I accused Sephiroth with weak spite.

"Oh." Sephiroth intoned amusedly. "How is that so?"

I turned around and gave him a serious death glare. "You were the one who made me think that kissing my friend was all right, remember."

Yes, you are hearing correctly. My brother Sephiroth was in Destiny Island Honors High School when he discovered he was strictly gay. He never told us about it, but he would always bring his boyfriend Zack to the house and introduce him as his 'friend'. Thing is, I caught my older brother and Zack making-out sweetly on the couch, just a few pecks, nothing horny or passionate, but I was too young to understand that at the time, Sephiroth and Zack were more than just 'friends'. Sure they were 'friends', but with many privileges. And being a naïveté kid at the time, I decided to greet my 'friend' the same way Sephiroth greeted his; with a kiss on the lips.

Just then, my mother caught me, planting a sweet kiss on my 'friend's' lips and all the commotion started. My mother cooed happily about how my best friend would become her favorite son-in-law, and how cute we looked together. **We were only four and five respectively for Christ's sake!** Then when I told my mother that I had seen Sephiroth kiss Zack, she gave us a long, unabashed, X-rated speech on what my brother was doing, and how I should ask before doing something that I didn't quite comprehend.

"Oh, that's right, I remember the long, long speech our mother gave us because you ratted out on me, you little squealer."

"How was I supposed to know?! Besides, you teased me endlessly about it too!"

I pointedly noted my brother's indiscretion. I will also let you know that my mother was a very open person, too open for her own good, but she taught us to be responsible and hardworking, I thank her so much for that.

"Relax Ri; you seriously need to get laid. What, your new boyfriend or girlfriend is not putting out much?"

Sephiroth have a hearty laugh that echoed though out the room. "How about the guy who answered the phone when I called? He had a pretty nice voice."

I gave him a chilling stare. I **did not** need to get "laid" by anyone.

"You must be loosing your touch Ri. I bet that has you so frustrated and lonely. I can hook you-up with someone if you need some release." Sephiroth offered casually with a sly grin.

"I DO NOT NEED TO GET LAID" I rectified like a spluttering fish out of water. "And just to let you know, he is my new partner for the new case I'm working on."

"Sorry." Sephiroth amended "But truth be told, you need to get laid little brother."

"Do not." I roared indignantly.

"Do too." Seph retorted.

I couldn't believe the nerve of that jerk. Who was he to tell me when I needed to have sex? I was too indignant.

**M**y brother left around nine 'o clock at night. I was left alone in my condo with my mother's pendant to keep me company. I held on to the expensive little trinket in my hands. I was thinking about why my mother always wore it and why Hojo always despised to see her with it. My fingers traced the outline of the small porcelain jewelry box. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on any feeling left on the box or the necklace, but it was no use, I could never learn to feel afterthoughts if my life depended on it. So, I did what I do best, good old detective work. I looked at the intricate detail of the filigree rose incasing the onyx shaped heart. The same pleasant design featured on the antique white colored box. This had been given as a thoughtful gift full of love.

I lifted the breakable box and examined its heavy weight. I shook it once or twice to hear absolutely nothing. I took out and looked at the padded sponge carefully and noted its impeccable state, then I turned the box upside down and a hidden compartment fell from what was supposed to be the bottom of the box; a piece of paper falling with it. I took the carefully folded note and began to unfold the note to read it.

_Dear Riku, _

_I leave you this note in hopes that one day you'll find it. _

_I love you very much and hope that you will succeed in_

_Everything you do no matter what. Please be very happy._

_I leave you this, my favorite necklace, as inheritance for you._

_You may or may not read this, depending on how soon you find_

_It before Hojo destroys it out of rage. Take good care of this pendant._

_When you find that person which you love the most, please give it to them._

_Love you always, _

_Mom._

Tears fell down onto my hands as I read the little letter given to me by my mother. How did she know I always loved her necklace? It looked so beautifully on her. I felt so happy and so honored at the same time, I hope that I never forget this feeling. I will treasure it for ever and ever until the end of my life. Don't think that mother preferred me over Sephiroth, we were both her lovely sons, but I always had a little more love from my mother to compensate for Hojo's obvious hatred.

"Why are you crying?" A soft voice interrupted me from my thoughts. I looked-up to see ocean blue eyes staring directly at me. "Can you…" I hesitated "Can you tell me what my mother felt when she had this necklace?" I finally asked when I mustered all the courage to speak instead crying.

"Sure, but you are aware that you'll look through my eyes, don't you? I will know what you know and you will feel what I feel. Will you mind?"

"I don't care…"

Sora peeled off both gloves, at which point, I cupped his hands in mine and gave him the filigree onyx pendant. I closed his smaller hands in mine and closed my eyes. A hazy image came into view. In that image, there was a woman standing in a park at night. I recognized her as Lucrecia, my mother. With her there was a tall male with long flowing hair. He was too hazy to be recognizable, but he gave her a small box. She opened the box and a big smile appeared on her face. It was the necklace that Sora and I were holding. My mother's lover clasped the shiny necklace on her delicate neck and shared a passionate kiss together.

At that exact moment I knew who that man was. He was my father, the father I would never meet. I finally understood why she loved the necklace so much. It was the necklace given to her by the person she loved most, the person who gave her complete happiness. She had never looked as happy and radiant as she had in that vision. Now I understood that he made her feel alive and loved. Now I knew that Hojo really never loved her, but he took her happiness away.

"That was an afterimage and an afterthought held together by a cherished memory, Riku. That is what she felt about your true father. Lucrecia loved him very much."

**OOOOOOO**

**T**here was a beautiful day in the picture perfect islands of Destiny Islands. The sun shone as brightly as always, there was a gentle, lukewarm breeze playing with the tropical plants throughout the remote little island, and the sweet scent of the famous poupu fruit was carried by the wind. The expensive resorts, restaurants, clubs for the rich, along with the palatial estates were an incredible sight to behold. There was not a single piece of trash in the streets, there was no gloomy raining days to hold you back, and there were no gang fights and premeditated shooting to scare the population, in other words, it was heaven condensed in one faraway place.

Everyone on Destiny Islands knew each other by name and trusted each other as if they were family. The days felt so beautiful and peaceful that it was hard to believe there could be anything that might be lurking under the veil of crystalline perfection……which brought detectives Leon and Cloud to a draw in an impenetrable case. They had gone through the papers and reports from the specified file. They had learned the information by heart. They could even brag about knowing the information left and right, but there was not a single visible break hidden within the context of the words or lines which made them completely hopeless. Two and a half days of frustrating aggravation and sleepless nights wrapped with impotence; that is how they felt.

Papers scattered over their hotel room, pens were scribbling information on separate sheets, and their brains worked tirelessly to solve a difficult case. The new investigators were about to give up, when they heard a knock on their door. At first, the two investigators were clearly surprised. Then, they made their way towards the white painted door to see who was calling. Both Leon and Cloud were surprised to find a manila envelope under their door.

"What do you think it is?" Leon asked after retrieving the medium sized envelope from the floor.

"I don't know, open it up." Cloud urged.

Leon wrestled with the envelope for a few seconds before opening it. He pulled the red sealing cord and recovered the documents sealed from within. Both investigators scanned the papers to see the information. Nine years ago, there was a woman who reported a missing child with the same descriptions as the Deep Dive City's Child Murders. The child had been twelve at the time of his disappearance. A combined set of police and civilian search parties combed the entire island for any sign of the small child –nothing was ever found. Leon's and Cloud's eyes kept browsing through the subsequent pages for more information.

They learned that nothing was found the night of the search. There had been no evidence or witnesses the night of the child's disappearance. The mother had been in and out of the hospital in many occasions with some weird illness. Strangely enough, she had been married to Shinra for a little more than six years. Both detectives had found a new lucky break to try and solve the case. Both of them considered it necessary to make a new house call inquiry to the mother of the missing child.

The relentless investigators reached the impressive estate located in Olympus Hill. Without a doubt, it had been one of Shinra's many estates located throughout the world.

"Hello, Miss. We are here to ask a few questions to the lady of the house. Can we see her?" Cloud was the first ask the young servant of the house. When she looked at the investigator's badge she immediately took them to see Mrs. Gainsborough.

"Hello, my name is detective Leon and this is my partner Cloud. We are Deep Dive City's Investigative Unit helping the Destiny Islands Police Department."

"Welcome to my house, Detective Leon and Detective Cloud. To what do I owe the honor of your visit this afternoon?"

"We need a few questions answered about your late husband, Mrs. Gainsborough and we hoped that you could give us answers."

Mrs. Aerith Gainsborough smiled kindly at them. She was still a pretty woman with creamy colored skin. She had beautifully jade-colored eyes that matched with her glossy pink lips and cinnamon colored hair. Cloud surveyed the woman briefly. She was a slender woman, probably 5 foot 4, delicately carved features like the princesses of Kingdom Hearts. Cloud knew that despite her age, she did not look like a thirty-nine year old woman, but a twenty-three year old one.

"I'll be very happy to answer any questions you might have on my late husband."

She led the younger men into the mansion's foyer and made them sit in the in the contemporary styled chairs. She signaled for the servants to bring them refreshments and costly delicacies that the two men savored slowly. Under the sun-filled room, the three persons carried out a friendly conversation.

"So what would you want to know about my late husband, gentlemen?"

"Well…" Cloud hesitated for a moment. He did not know how he was going to phrase his new question. He took a deep breath and looked at the older woman with hesitant look.

"Well, we first want to ask you about your son, the one you reported missing almost nine years ago."

There was a pain that crossed the woman's face at the name of her long lost son. The fact was that she still missed him very dearly, and even though she knew that he was probably dead, hope kept giving her encouragement despite the treacherous odds. Now it was Aerith's turn to give a deep, hurt-filled sigh.

"What about my son? He was the most beautiful thing that life ever gave me. There is not a single day in which I don't think about him, not a day goes by that I hope he is alive out there…some where."

"Why does your son not share your last name?" Leon began diving deep into the serious matter at hand.

"He shares his father's last name as a way to be legally recognized by his father and his father's family. I was young, out of high school when I got pregnant, I didn't have the means to financially support my child, but in the end, it didn't matter because he left away to Hollow Bastion where he evaded paying off child support."

Cloud nodded in clear understanding. "And that is when Shinra came into the picture, did he not?"

"Yes." Aerith nodded. "My son was four at the time when I met Shinra. I was his Secretary in the Mako Energy Plant here in Destiny Islands."

"What attracted you to Shinra, Mrs. Gainsborough?"

"He was very respectful and he loved my son, treated him as if he were his real son."

"Did you know Tifa Lockhart by any chance?"

"Yes, she was a maid in this estate, why do you ask?"

"Was it before or after your son's disappearance?"

"After."

Cloud took notes of their conversation and both men shared knowing glances when the word 'after' was uttered from her small lips.

"Were you close friends with Tifa?"

"No, why? I was never close to her because I usually spent long periods of time in the hospital."

"Hospital?"

"Yes, for years I suffered from an unidentifiable illness that compelled me to stay for long periods of time in the hospital."

Leon raised an eyebrow with a hint of skepticism. Although he knew her story checked-out, he still wanted to know one last detail.

"And how long did your illness last, Mrs. Gainsborough?"

"It lasted until I divorced Shinra, I guess the loss of my son gave me strength to overcome my illness and keep on searching."

"After you divorced Shinra, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask you a more personal question?" Cloud interrupted Leon's inquiry.

"Yes."

"How was Shinra's relationship with your son?"

Aerith looked taken aback for a minute. _How was that a personal question?_ She did not fully understand why the blonde man was asking that question.

"He loved him. They spent lots of time together. He took care of him when I was on the hospital. He even gave my son everything he could ever want."

"Sorry, we meant nothing by it. Can we see a picture of your son?"

"Yes, follow me."

Aerith led the two men into her son's bedroom. They were awed by the lavished décor of the child's bedroom. Elegant furniture and countless of toys were neatly stacked around the colossal room along with the trendy gadgets at the time. He definitely had spent lots of money on his stepson. She pulled a leather bound photo album from a bookshelf and showed the pictures to the inquisitive investigators. _Bingo!_ They were close to solidifying their case.

**OOOOOOO**

_**S**ora spent the afternoon explaining many things to Riku. They spent long hours in conversation. Riku had confided to Sora that he had been a product of his mother's love affair with another man he had never known and as a result, he was always frowned upon by his stepfather Hojo. Riku told Sora how much he loved his mother, his love problem, the girl who had cheated on him with her dentist, how frustrating his job could get, and how it was strange that he had opened-up to someone like him. Riku had never let anyone see how vulnerable he felt about his situation. He had never cried in front of anyone before, not even in his mother's funeral had someone seen him cry._

_He felt so comfortable with Sora, that he even told him about his previous working partner Axel. He described the shootings and fights for the dispute of territory and prestigious sovereignty among the Heartless and the Nobodies; the leading gangs in Deep Dive City. By the end of his day-long rant, he found himself to be very emotionally exhausted –his head was resting on Sora's lap by then._

"_You seem tired_…_"_ _Sora added after a Riku gave an unrestrained yawn._ _"You should go to rest. Sleep for a little while and when you wake up you will feel better."_

"_Y_…_e_…_a_…_h_…_"_ _Riku managed with a heavy yawn before heading sleepily to his room. He stumbled into his room, unable to move, he had neither the desire to move nor the energy to do so, but his soul felt incredibly lightweight. He had confessed his darkest secrets, his most intimidating fears, he had poured his soul to someone who had listen to him with understanding ears, and he felt great. He burrowed under the covers and was_ _immediately taken in by a deep comforting sleep. The best sleep he'd ever had since he was a hardly child._

_In the other room the fax machine beeped quietly in the living room. Sora was standing in front of the machine ready to receive the information that was being transmitted though the fax machine. The papers began to fall in a steady flow as Sora's eyes quickly scanned the incoming information, then he paused with slight discontent, his eyes brows furrowed in mild anger. It was too soon he decided. Something like this would certainly boycott his mission and endanger many people's lives in the process. His quick, nimble fingers dialed the first number of a lesser judge._

"_Hello, this is Sora, am I speaking to Loz?"_

"_Yeah, this is him."_

"_Who sent the information? Was it Kadaj?"_

"_Yeah_…_"_

"_Then he sent the information to Leon and Cloud too soon_…_"_ Sora replied with a small hint of anger.

"_Sorry, but why me? You should talk to Kadaj."_

"_I want you to sever the lines of connection between Leon, Cloud, and Riku."_

"_On it_…_"_

……**_Click_……**

_And then the conversation ended, it was Sora's turn to ask the Second Judge Shelke for a favor. He speedily dialed her number and waited for a response._

"_Hello, this is Shelke speaking."_

"_Hi, this is Sora; I wanted to ask you for a favor, Shelke."_

"_Oh_…_and what is that?"_

"_I need you to wire into the net and modify several things for me. I also need you to sever the virtual connection between Leon, Cloud, and Riku. Nothing goes out, nothing enters, **it** is **that** simple."_

"_What do I get out of it, Sora?"_

"_I'll arrange so that you can see your sister Shalua."_

"_Fair enough_…_"_ The Second Judge agreed and ended the phone conversation, she had work to do.

_The fax machine ended printing the copies of the extensive file sent by the two investigators in Destiny Island. He looked at the two detective's hypothesis and vague evidence to support such claim. Their guess wasn't far from the truth anyways. Sora rolled the paper up to look at the first page he had missed. His eyes widened for a single second. He did not like where this was heading. He looked at the picture in the cheap fax paper. He looked at the earnest eyes and expression of someone he knew so well. His eyes, his face, his naïve appearance wrapped in a delicate shell he knew all to well. _

**He knew the face…**

**He knew the person to whom the face belonged……**

**That person was……**

**The person looking back at him………he was……………**

**OOOOOOO**

Who is the mysterious face looking back at Sora?

Find out on the next installment of **H.D.U.I.!**


	5. Chapter 5

**_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

**_Disclaimer:_** The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**Word from the Author: **Sorry for the hold-up here, but the last two chapters are very important to this story, so I didn't want to rush it more than I had to (that and having my little nephew wanting to play with me all the time). I'm currently having trouble with my home computer's internet connection, so I've been forced to use the school's computers to write and publish the story. I encourage anyone who feels like it to leave a review, but if you do, please be patient. I'll write back to you as soon as I can because I have to use the internet at school and computers are limited to a first come first served basis. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Love you all,

**_Katan Yue _**

**_Alternate Universe_**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**H.D.U.I.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Chapter four: **When Things Become Unwound

**S**ora snatched the paper from the fax machine and began to roll it to the first page. He already knew what he was going to see, and he knew better than to be surprised when he reached the first paper, but the thrill of being right made him incredibly nervous. For the first time in such a long time, Sora saw the image of a twelve-year old boy. The boy's expressive catlike eyes were staring back at him as if it were a mirror. The boy's happy smile was taunting him to remember things forgotten long ago.

Sora looked back at the image and recognized the face, the eyes, the lips, and the picture's happy and bubbly expression. When Sora looked back at the picture, the picture was looking back at him

**_The person looking back at him from the picture was_…**

**_He was_……_He was_…………**

**_The picture of himself as he had been almost ten years ago_…**

Surely it was at the moment when his mother Aerith had come out of the hospital after her two-moth stay. He remembered that day clearly as it had only been yesterday. He even wondered if his mother still missed him. The young detective looked at the faxed material again, he looked at the other detective's conclusions and hypothesis, he even looked at the picture again –now everything was going to change after this crucial moment. Still, Sora did not feel ready to proceed as Uriel had instructed. He wanted to warn Riku, but he feared he would only make things a lot worse before he could make them better, besides, He knew that Riku was so close to understanding the contradicting mysteries of life –an what Life and Fate promise, they deliver no matter what.

The beeping of the bulky fax machine startled Sora out of his self-induced trance. He turned around to look at the new transmission of information, the information that Shelke had so graciously rigged-up for him. He cut the paper and browsed through its information quickly. The picture as well as other information had been left out –the danger was minimized. Sora knew what to do at that moment when he placed the new faxed material on the kitchenette's granite counter and shredded the first piece of material on the shredding machine of the living room's chrome-plated trashcan. It was time for him to leave.

**OOOOOOO**

**B**y the time I awoke it was sometime past noon. I had slept through half the day without any care in the world. I had slept so peaceful after talking to Sora that I felt like a crybaby for last night's emotional outburst. I went around my humble abode in hopes to find Sora, but he was no where in sight. All that was found was a faxed paper sitting on the kitchen counter that was sent by Leon. Browsing though the material I learned that a possible suspect had been found. The suspect's name was Shinra head of The Shinra Electric Company.

I frowned at the new piece of information. Hadn't Hojo worked for the Shinra Electric Company for twenty years? Hadn't Shinra been our neighbor until he divorced that Gainsborough lady? All these questions fell upon my hazy mind and memories. The thought of being able to remember felt like a treacherous mine of suppressed memories as the brain's capacity tried to make a link with the new piece of information and the rusty pieces of memory.

I remember that Shinra owned the palatial estate on Olympus Hill. He married a woman named Aerith Gainsborough, who had a child that was a year younger than me? The haze inside my brain is still clogging the free flow of memories that could be crucial to the case –and even as I try to force my brain to remember, the piece of stubborn gray matter refuses to cooperate with me. I can't remember the child's name or the child's appearance. One would even come to think that Leon and Cloud left the appearance of the missing child, well –missing on purpose.

Snatching the telephone from the fax machine, I try to contact Leon to see if he has some sort of image for the suspected 'first victim' or at least to know how the missing child looks like. Zip…zero…nada… I am unable to reach Leon on his cell, and on the third try, there is an acute, loud beeping static emitted by the phone that leaves a tingling and disorienting feeling in my head. Trying to get a hold on Cloud Strife yields the same result.

_Hmmm_……_maybe if I call Sora, he will be able to get a hold on Uriel so he can give me the more through rough details of this case_……

Scratch that, I still get the same results. The phone line doesn't seem to be working today; maybe it is because there is another thunder-y rainy day in Deep Dive City. It is not an un-usual type of incidence here in this city, but the fact that Sora is nowhere in sight still bothers me.

**A**t half-past one I had arrived to the DDCPD and went straight to see Chief Leblanc. It was odd how many people were out of headquarters today. The halls seemed large and empty, devoid of almost any sign of movement……except for Yuffie who appeared from the archive's room.

"Hey there, Riku! What can I do for you? You seem a little anxious if you don't mind me saying so."

Yuffie was as cheerful and carefree as always. The small, skinny little body was trying to carry a humongous pile of documents, files, and half-empty folders. She appeared to struggle a little, often waddling from side to side from all the weight she was carting.

"Here let me help you." I offered, curtly taking the heavy material from her hands and holding it steady. "Where to."

"Huh? What! The folders?"

Yuffie blurted out as if she were surprised, confused, or a mixture of both. I rolled my eyes with a mild sense of exasperation as I tapped my foot on the floor. _As if that would ever help Yuffie decide_…

"Yes Yuff, the folders. Where do you want me to place them?"

"Oh…yeah the files! The adjacent room to your left please." Yuffie said with her usual loud tone while trying to steer me in the right direction when the pile of papers clouded my line of vision.

"Do you know if Chief Leblanc is in his office today?" I asked with a small hint of urgency.

"Is he ever absent?" Yuffie cheerfully countered. "Yeah, Chief Leblanc is in his office, why? You wanted to see him? Is that it huh, huh?"

I gave Yuffie a blatant stare that would probably frozen hell over at least twice by the time she caught onto it. She is not dumb or loud as many people consider her to be. To the contrary, she's very smart and very agile, but she_ is_ a little careless and a little too happy go lucky (which is nothing wrong, maybe unusual but never wrong).

"I knew it! You are here to see him Mr. Riku Rosewater." Yuff teased me in an overly exaggerated manner with her excessively professional tone.

"Yuff…"

"Alright ,alright…I'll send you right in Riku, just hold on a sec." My cheery co-worker walked towards her desk and from her desk I could hear her talking on the phone with Uriel.

"Chief Leblanc? Riku is here to see you, should I let him in…oh, ok I'll send him right inn. Anything else Chief Leblanc?" Yuffie hung-up the line and yelled from her spot near her desk "Ok Riku, you can go in."

She gave me a smile and a thumbs-up expression as I neared the door to Uriel's office. How Yuffie always remained so bubbly and happy all the time –it was beyond my limited comprehension, but at least she found something to be happy about on such a cruel and twisted world.

"Please come in…" Uriel spoke when he heard a gentle knock on his office's door. Feet swiftly crossing the thresh hold, I entered Uriel's office and sat in one of the black leather chairs.

"Yuffie told me you wanted to see me, is that true?"

"Yes…" I stated briefly before delivering the piece of faxed information into Uirel's hands. "I got this fax sometime last night, but some information is missing. I tried getting a hold on Cloud or Leon, but the phone lines are down again. What do you think about this?"

Uriel Leblanc ran a hand through his dark brown hair before looking at the file, his dark hawk eyes were skimming through the pages of information with ease before delivering his opinion on the matter.

"Do you think anything anything here could be possible?" Uriel questioned, his hands letting the papers fall flatly on his desk.

"Anything is posible, that's what I always say. Leond and Cloud should have more information, seeing as how they ended-up with this conclussion –a very compromising conclussion."

"I see…"

"We've just about limited our resources here on Deep Dive City. The murderer has left no clue –not even a small one that could give him or her away –ah there is that fingerprint that we could run through the laboratory and see it matches with our new suspect."

"Can I ask you one thing Riku?" Uriel inquired with apparent interest, elbows propped on his desk, hands laced together, and chin resting above the adjoined hands.

"What do you theorize about the DI incident, Riku?"

"Do you want to know what I think?"

"By all means, Riku…"

I sat looking at the Chief for a wile in silence as all the information gathered inside the brain to be processed into a coherent theory. The information did not add-up at first –too many pieces of information missing, too many loose ends to tie. Then, a faint speculation started materializing from the mist of information gathered in little traveling brain cells.

"Let's say that Leon's and Cloud's theory is right. Let's say that Shinra is the serial killer of young boys here at this city. The murders seem almost too clean and too meticulously executed, but let's say that this…missing child from DI was the first victim……not too well executed as on most cases for being their first murder, maybe, the children's characteristics match up with the missing child's…"

"Go on…" Uriel encouraged after a minute of silence from my part "…so far, so good…"

"And let's say these women have the same thing in common……they worked for Shinra at some point, the trust is there for the perpetrator to take advantage of, but the picture of the DI's missing child _is_ missing. I tried checking into the Universal Database for Missing Children, they seem to have been hacked the night before. All of their systems are down. I think we should bring the two back to try and _condense_ the information together"

"Unfortunately, I seemed to have lost contact with them my self." Uriel confessed after a short while. He drank form his strong, brewed coffee mix then cleared his throat. "What I propose, is that you meet Leon and Cloud on Destiny Islands and take the investigation from there. I am almost sure that my friend Reeve Tuesti will be very glad to cooperate with anything you might need."

"What about Sora, isn't he going too?"

"Sora? Don't worry too much about him. He has been reassigned to his duty as a judge, but I'm sure that you'll see him around sometime."

_What?_ Surprise startled me for a brief moment…_reassigned_…when? Why didn't he tell me? A call wouldn't have hurt either, unless he had special duties as a presiding judge. Still, Sora could have said something about it last night before departing off like a thief in the night.

**OOOOOOO**

**A**hh…the sweet, sweet smell of Destiny Islands is so appealing to the flaring nostrils that wait to get just a brief scent of the saccharine tropical smell of the air. The sun's radiant warmth causes ripples of gentle heat to course through one's body that is different from the rainy, chilly days of Deep Dive. Taking a deep intake of air to fill the lungs for one full year, I savor the easy going way of life found on idle tropical islands like this one –a feeling I've been apart for far too long. I only wish that Sora were here to see it. That would certainly put a smile on his face.

"Yo… Riku…" Leon casually voiced from his spot beside Cloud's. Turning around, I saw both of my friends already waiting for me in the airport's lobby when I arrived a week later.

"Hey Leon, Cloud." Just a brief acknowledgement was needed to greet the other two detectives before heading into the nearby hotel room where I unpacked and the three of us got ready for a hard day's worth of investigation.

"What did you find out?"

Cloud's voice was full of renewed enthusiasm for the investigation. I told them about the interview of the three mothers. Apparently they had worked in the Shinra estate in Destiny Islands a few years apart. Tifa had been the first to work with Shinra after the disappearance of the child and the nasty divorce from the couple, then she had been employed by Shinra in the Deep Dive City estate for five years to support her ten year old child who lived with her parents in Deep Dive. Shinra had met the child Denzel about two or three years ago. Apparently, Shinra sponsored the child's boarding education in Hall Educational Institution that teaches elementary through Jr. High (and is one of the four most prestigious schools in the country). The day of Denzel's disappearance, Shinra had delivered the tuition costs to Luxord, the Chair man of H.E.I. Sark, the dorm's security guard reports having seen Shinra deliver something to student No. 826-609-3400 (Denzel Lockhart) to his dormitory, but he saw nothing suspicious about it, since Shinra immediately left. Then we all know that the child went missing and was found at a dumpster on the city's limits a few month's after his disappearance.

My next interviewee had been Aurora Barlett, mother of Tidus Barlett, and Shinra's employee a year and a half after Tifa's resign from her job as Shinra's maid. Her son had been twelve at the time, enrolled in a decent school, better off economically than Denzel. When asked about Shinra's behavior towards her son, Aurora reported to us that Shinra loved all children in general. As the administrative coordinator of Shinra's estate, she reported writing checks to different Orphanages in the city or abroad.

"Quite the juicy checks too."

I added while reading down the list of my week's worth of interviews. Aurora described how Shinra would often take Tidus to watch a movie or buy him a game or two. Tidus saw Shinra as a friend and the father he never had. He mentioned that Shinra would often talk about the son from his first marriage (although when asked, she couldn't remember his name). Aurora described the canvas portrait painted of the young master. In the portrait, she described a petite child dressed in a black suit and black shorts rather than slacks. She mentioned that the brown-haired, blue-eyed child was about eight or nine, maybe ten years when the portrait had been painted. He was a very pretty child with creamy skin, rose-colored cheeks, and beautiful pink lips. She had never seen such a pretty child before (at least not in a portrait). Aurora had said the following during her interview:

"I'd never seen such a beautiful little child before…he was picture perfect and looking like those carefully crafted and equally expensive porcelain dolls…ya'know…like the one's form the Lee Middleton Original Dolls, very, very pretty.

"Shinra use to talk a lot about his son, it was apparent hat he loved his son, and I don't mean it in **_that way_**…if you know what I mean…I never had that impression, but I had a vague sense that my little boy had similar traits to Shinra's missing son. It was like……it was like…I know that Tidus was not as beautiful as the young master, he was more like the handsome type rather that the pretty one, but the blue eyes and his wild styled hair, made him look similar, but not the same…"

As for the third victim, Roxas Archer Christensen, he was the son of Belle Archer Christensen (Christensen being the father's last name. He divorced Belle six years ago). Belle is an antique appraisal advisor for the buying and selling of Shinra's artwork sales at the Gallery Auction House. She was hired as an artwork restorer for Shinra's Hallow Bastion estate a year prior to Tidus' murder. That same year Belle was sent to Deep Dive City's estate to restore the famous artwork "Cornerstone of Light". There, Belle and Roxas met Aurora and Tidus. Belle indicates that Tidus and Roxas became friends for a while before she moved to Hallow Bastion again. In the interview with Belle Christensen, she gives a fair account of her dwindling relationship with her son.

"My son was a very sweet boy. He used to help me with my restoration projects and he loved antiques just as much as I love them. Things started to gradually change after I returned from Deep Dive City. Apparently, he had joined a gang called Organization XIII. He started to develop a fowl temper after that, we barely spoke, in fact, we argued 24/7.

"Most of the times, after an argument about school or anything related to his well being, he would run away from home and spend a night or two with his friend Hayner. I can't say I know much about my son's life, because he made sure to shut me away from him sobs."

"We interviewed Roxas' friend Hayner. In his statement, Hayner filled some blanks left by her mother's statement…" I flipped the page of the report, eyes starting to skim for the content still branded on the brain; the pages starting a new line of revealing information to the other two clueless detectives.

Hayner Ashmore, age fourteen, friend to Roxas Archer Christensen since first grade, and Roxas' rival for the fencing club at school before Roxas' disappearance. In Hayner's statement, the fourteen year-old state:

"Roxas **_was_** my best friend, before he started spending more time with his new friends. He was resentful after their parents divorce, but he was still cool y'know? That only lasted until he met 'Organization XIII' a bunch of trouble makers. We (as in the usual friends consisting of Pence 13 and Olette 14) used to hang out together man…we were friends, buddies, but we all saw how that Shinra dude became like a father figure to Roxas –only to steer him on the wrong direction. We kinda think that it was that dude that introduced Roxas to Organization XIII. He once bragged to us how that Shinra guy had given him the position of the XIII in that band of jerks…"

Leon raised a single eyebrow "So the information in that envelope was correct."

"What envelope?" I looked at Leon and Cloud for some type of explanation when they seemed to share a knowing type of encoded secret.

"A few days ago…" Cloud started after Leon gave him a consenting nod. "…a manila envelope was left at our doorstep. The information imprinted inside linked the murders of the three children to the disappearance of a child in Destiny Islands almost a decade ago. In fact……" Cloud walked towards a dresser drawer to pull the manila envelope. "We faxed you the information. Didn't you receive the information, Riku?"

Cloud handed me the envelope and waited patiently for an answer. I looked through the papers carefully and realized it was the same information that I had received by fax. I scanned the information carefully, more clearly that the blurry and faded letters of the fax machine. Instantly, the name printed on the paper sparked something in my memory.

…………_Aerith Gainsborough_…………

"Aerith Gainsborough…"

"Do you know her?" Asked cloud immediately after the name escaped from my lips.

"I don't remember…her name seems familiar, but there is something jumbled from my memories…"

"Perhaps you need a refresher." Leon teased sarcastically. "Cloud, show him the picture of her kid."

Cloud fumbled everywhere to find the picture –eventually giving up and saying:

"Can't seem to find it, I think we left it at her house."

Leon gave him a weak glare before scoffing.

"Ok, let's say your theory is correct, we have no proof to raise a solid investigation on the world's most powerful man."

"What about the fingerprints found on the rosary?" Cloud asked hopefully.

"Nah…they're too distorted to pin them on any suspect"

Running a hand through my hair as a nervous gesture, I pointed out as a matter of fact. If this case didn't resolve any time soon, the stress was going to be the end of me.

"Hey Sherlock, snap out of it." Leon startled me out of my thoughts. "Chief Leblanc told us about your interesting theory, care to explain?"

Leon tossed a cold water bottle to my direction as a way to wake me up and test my reflex. I caught the water bottle effortlessly before untwisting the cap and taking a sip out of the Poupu flavored H2O.

"…Ehem…Ok, let's say that your theory about the missing child proves true. I'm going to imagine that the kid is possibly Shinra's first victim. The other three murders are _way_ too clean if you know what I mean."

"So? That still gets us squat." Leon replied casually –a tone of aggravation underlining his words with hint of frustration. "Zero plus zero is still equal to zero."

"No, no hear me out. We all now that for most killers, their first crime is usually a mess, the killers leave plenty of clues and evidence."

"Are you suggesting that if we find this kid, we might be able to recover something?" Cloud looked skeptically, but I could see the gears inside his head trying to give the idea a new spin. "Hmm…" He pondered. "It might just work.

"Well then, let's give it a try." Leon suggested while putting the documents inside of his black leather messenger bag. "We already took the liberty to summon the other three women. They arrived two days before you did and are staying with Mrs. Gainsborough."

"What!"

"You need to be here too, once you look at the picture of the child, then you'll be able to understand." He prompted for Cloud and me to get a move on.

**OOOOOO**

**W**e arrived to a familiar place for me in less than forty minutes. The three of us were standing at the gates of the most impressive mansion in Destiny Islands when we were greeted and prompted to come in.

"Hello, this is detective Riku Rosewater, and investigator sent from the Deep Dive City's Investigation Unit."

Cloud introduced me to the group of women sitting comfortably on the lavished furniture on the spacious day-light room. Apparently, Cloud was the public relations speaker for the both of them. I seriously doubt that Leon is all cut-out for public speaking of any kind. The women who I interviewed in Deep Dive instantly nodded in acknowledgement, while the lady of the house came towards me with surprise and nostalgia filling her eyes.

"Is that you, Riku? You sure have grown much and very handsome too. My son would be a year younger than you now…"

Mrs. Gainsborough trailed off in her nostalgia as my eyebrows reached the top of my forehead in slight surprise. _Should I remember her_… She was sort of familiar, but the memory of her being present that often in my life, well……let's just say that the memory wasn't all that present.

"Oh, you probably don't remember me, but I remember you, you used to my son's best friend. He would always talk so much about you. You were his only friend in this place…"

Not knowing what else to do or say, the only comfort I could give her was a kind simile to ease my guilt for having forgotten so many memories.

"Don't you remember? You were Sora's friend. Both of you would play together on the adjacent play island until well after dark."

_**Sora**…_

"Sora would often tell me about the games you played together."

**_Sora_……**

"Lucrecia and I were the best of friends. She loved my son Sora so much."

I could feel the color drain form my face, I could feel my body become ice cold before nausea hindered my senses and movement. My speech seemed blurred, unrecognizable even to my own ears.

**……_Sora_…………**

"My mother Lucrecia died a year ago ma'am."

"Oh, my, how terrible that your mother died, I'm terribly sorry…I just couldn't keep contact with anyone after my son's disappearance, and your family had moved to Hollow Bastion by then…"

_Sora? He had disappeared? When?_

Nothing was making any sense anymore. Reality seemed blurred and cold. The warm, friendly feeling that DI transmitted seemed stuffy with bitter ice.

"I wanted to tell Lucrecia what the police had said about the possible outcome of my son's disappearance…after a four month's search…the police……they told me to expect the worse, to expect my child's death or possible murder."

Tears escaped her tranquil green eyes. She appeared so hurt, so desperate to know about her son's fate, but how could I tell her that I had seen her son when I wasn't sure of it my self.

"Mrs. Gainsborough, do you have a picture of your son?" The words were raspy, heavy with unknown, possible uncertainty of what we might encounter down the road.

"Sure…" She had already drawn out her gold locket and opened the small, heart-shaped lid to reveal the picture of Sora, the Sora I had met a couple of weeks out on the graveyard, the Sora that had that melancholic streak in his deep cerulean eyes; the look that had hindered his beautiful features. Sure, the Sora in the picture was a lot younger, but the Sora I had been paired with for the investigation was the faithful original to the picture in Mrs. Gainsborough's locket.

"Hey, are you o.k. Riku?"

Leon and Cloud ask with genuine concern in their voices –too bad I'm too disconcerted to pay any attention to them. And although I may not be a doctor, I think that breathing the fresh air outside will do me well.

"I need to go out for a while…need some fresh air."

**A**fter leaving the main part of the mansion, I found myself wandering out in the massive gardens. The maize styled centerpiece of the garden leads off to a little playground that is secluded from the main part of the estate. Whoever built the extravagant playground did not pinch a penny with its expensive cost. All the structures seem rusted and crippled. Time did not waste its resources to ravish the once solid structure. The swings seem solid enough though, so I sit on one of the swings to help my body loosen up. I don't know what to think, what to do, or what to feel. My mind is confused and my brain (as well as the rest of my body) seems numb.

I take some comfort just by looking at the decaying beauty before me. This once magnificent and ostensibly cozy playground seems haunting somehow. If time were to turn back, the sand box would be full of sand, the playhouse's paint wouldn't be so chipped, and the lovely cherubs from the water fountain would be spurting water from their glazed ceramic shells. But everything seems empty, devoid of all life, missing the grandeur this place one had.

_Hey there_……

The swing beside me starts to move.

_Were you waiting too long_……

I can hear the grinding of the metal chains as the swing picks-up speed.

_You wanted to know_…

The air becomes peaceful and the scent of apple cinnamon permeates the air.

"Why…?"

_You wanted to remember_……_remember?_

I don't want to look at him. It is not because I fear what I'll see when I turn, but the shame of having forgotten something important in my life prevents me from lifting up my head.

Sometimes people want to forget……it is not their fault.

"That's not true."

_Sure it is_……_you wanted to forget, you wanted to forget your step father's disdain_…..._and somewhere along the line, you forgot all the good with the bad_………

I covered my face with my hands and sighed deeply. It was true, all my childhood I lived with Hojo's constant loathing, his constant hatred towards a bastard child that he was forced to accept, and when I had the opportunity to start over again, I didn't hesitate to banish all the previous memories that haunted me.

"Was this the reason why your memory haunted me?"

_No_……_I want to show you something._

"What…?"

This case has to be solved once and for all; I've waited so long……

I looked to where the swing had been swinging so soothingly, but by the time I was able to turn, the swing was already empty.

_This way_………

The sweet voice was carried over by the tropical breeze, and the corner of my eye registered a brief movement from behind some dried-out twigs. Soon enough I found my self in front of what looked like a storage room with a massive lock attached to the door, and no matter how rusted the iron was, the doors of the brick storage room wouldn't budge.

_Riku_…_the key_……

I snapped my head all over to find a supposed 'key'. The place was empty only a voice inside of my head prompting me, guiding me if I paid close attention. Finding nothing, my instinct was to ask "Where!"

_The ground, Riku_……_Look at the ground_………

Eyes darting left and right, I looked for anything resembling a 'key'. The soil was damp, surely due to a slight drizzle. Dried vines snaked and crackled every time I stepped on them, and finally, by some divine intervention, I saw something protruding from the ground. I rushed to that certain spot to take a look at what looked like a jutting pipe. Clawing at the mushy dirt, I tried to dig the object out of the ground. The stones, sticks, splinters, and a shard of broken glass injured my hand. But no matter how hurt my hands were, no matter the amount of blood dripping from my fingers, I managed to get the rusted piece of key off the zealous, protective soil.

The rusted key measures about 2" ft 5"in. The appropriate weight is about twelve pounds or less (like a regular sword). The corroded key fits perfectly on the massive lock, yet it is difficult to turn and unlock the lock with its oxidized mechanism. I push hard until there is a click on the gears of the lock. Removing the lock seems heavy but not impossible, and when I do manage to remove the lock, the door creaks open with loud protesting sounds.

The musty smell of death and decay flares my nostrils as soon as I open the door and step inside the darkened room. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that a crime has been committed and the evidence sealed behind this door for years. The humidity in the air is unbearable –it makes your body feel stuffy and slow. I reach for the handkerchief in my breast pocket to wipe out the blood seeping from the many cuts in my hands. I retrieve my driving leather gloves and coat my hands with them in a last attempt to keep the evidence intact. After fumbling in the bitter darkness for a while, I manage to find the light switch to turn on the dingy light of the basement. When my eyes begin to adjust to the begrimed lighting of the room, my eyes focus on the small, skeletal frame sprawled out on the concrete floor. Just at the left side of the small decayed body, Sora is standing beside it; he is giving me the most melancholic look graced by the saddest smile I've ever seen. The urge to vomit rages inside my body as an urgent sign to get my shit together and focus on the daunting task at hand, yet, all that my brain is able to process at the moment is the question I've been asking since I first opened the door.

**…………_What the hell happened here_…………?**

**OOOOOOO**

**What happened in that room? **

**Who is really responsible for the murders? **

**Find out in the next (and probably) final installment of H.D.U.I.!**


	6. Chapter 6

**_H_**ades **_D_**etective **_U_**nit **_I_**nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

**_Disclaimer:_** The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**_Rated:_** M for mature audiences because it contains the elements of horror, the supernatural, and might contain Yaoi-ish situations in the future.

**_Special thanks to:_** Everyone who has reviewed this Story. I was going to boast that this story had surpassed in ratings the one shot Friends With Benefits, but until now, they seemed to be tied. Oh well…nothing I can do about it.

**Thanks to:** Chopstick with Wings, **Infinity Ryen**, realdarkangel (you're always putting up with my stories), **Wearyourl o v elikeHeaven**, Koneko Hoshi, **Nusku** (sorry for the literary tease; including this one. Lol -), SoraSakura (yup, this story also contains another cliffhanger ending), **ForgottenShadow4**, and last but not least lostconfessions.

_I wanted to let each and everyone know that your faithful support has meant so much to this story… _

**_Alternate Universe_**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**H.D.U.I.**

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Chapter Six:** The Calm before the Storm

**W**hen I opened the door, the stench of the air was unbearable. The dust and the smell of humidity blasted free from its decade of imprisonment as soon as the double doors were released. The dingy lighting of the room illuminated the small, decaying body that was sprawled brokenly on the floor. There, beside the figure of the skeletal body, Sora was standing, his face half hidden by the shadowy lighting. His face had the saddest expression graced by a melancholic smile. The sight was far too much for me to handle at the moment –I found my self hunched over the outside soil a moment later hurling the content of my entire stomach.

_Why_……_Why_……

Somehow, I expected Sora to be standing beside me. I wanted to know why he was there, why was he inside a sealed room. But……Sora was not beside me…… He was still inside than wretched room……he was patiently waiting……waiting for me to arrive……

**_It's been too long, Riku_**……

When I gathered more than my wits about me, I descended down the plight of concrete stairs. My vision was a bit of a blur, the vertigo of my dizzy motions making my feet stomp into each stair as if it were a turbulent boat out on the treacherous sea. Just before the last set of stairs I jumped over the dead body; landing unceremoniously on the hard concrete floor.

"It's a beautiful day. Don't you agree, Riku?"

Sora began a small conversation as if the dead body on the floor did not disturb him at all. I've seen countless of dead bodies before, but the dead bodies of children are the saddest, disturbing, and most traumatizing cases a detective would have to cope with.

"What are you doing in here? How did you get inside?"

These were the first coherent words that were able to come out of my mouth. Currently, my gloved hand covered my mouth and nose to keep the stench out, but Sora didn't seem to mind or take note of the putrid smell.

"I can be here **_any_** time I want…"

"What? Why…?"

Sora, who had been admiring the decay and rust of the building turned towards me. It was as if he had just barely acknowledged my presence inside of the room. Slowly, Sora walked towards me. He looked silently into my eyes with such intensity that I thought I would burst into flames any second. His eyes were devoid of any feeling or emotion. It was like looking into empty slates of blue.

"Do you **_really_** want to know…?"

The temperature inside the cellar dropped several degrees lower than it should be –part of me wandered if there was a draft somewhere inside this room. Sora's hands felt cold as well. In fact, his bare hands were too soft, too cold, and too rigid –all at the same time.

"Do you **_really _**want to know…?"

He repeated again with the same neutral expression he was wearing since our conversation began. Yes, I nodded my consent without words. My head barely moved to say yes when I heard: "_Fine_…_very well, Riku_…"

Sora turned around, pivoting on his heels as if he were a playful child with an unreadable expression gracing his winsome face. The game had begun and I was only a spectator to what I was about to witness.

**OOOOOOO**

**T**he temperature of the room became cold……a freezing cold before turning into a placid, mellow heat. The dust on the floor became a white mist that dissipated into oblivion in a blink of an eye as the spider webs unlaced each strand and dissolved into evanescence as though time were reverting itself. I saw as the cracks of the building began to fade away. The chipped, antique white colored paint of the room began to restore anew. Sealed windows and doors are uncovered to reveal long tunnels running down the vast territory of the mansion, and everything that was pure rust and decay was now being healed and restored to its original condition.

Everything seemed surreal to me when the broken clock turned counterclockwise at a negative speed of time. My eyes darted around the room to restlessly admire the restored beauty and vastness this room once had, but the darting of my eyes came to a complete halt when they landed on the skeletal body still sprawled on the floor. But no matter what had been restored to previous glory, the dead body still remained the same. The sound of something dripping startled me for a second – it was blood. Blood droplets falling off from nowhere onto the floor when the wall clock struck seven with a raw mechanical whirl.

Riku……!

A voice was calling my name with a desperate tone that made me turn almost instantly. I noticed that the broken body had disappeared. Sora was standing right behind me; I knew he was waiting for something.

When the mechanical whirl of the clock came to a stop, Sora gave me one his brightest smiles before ascending the stairs. At that moment, my jaw drops to the floor in astonishment, and for a brief moment, I began to think this was all an illusion. I observed Sora going up the stairs slowly. With each step he took, Sora became younger. When Sora reached the last step, he looked like a twelve year-old child. He vanished into the doors and silence enveloped the room with a foreboding feeling.

Time seemed to freeze in its tracks with a somber solitude of dread. The heavy pang of death constricting my chest seemed imminent. I do not know what was about to happen inside this room, but I could feel the silence of the room begin to take a life of its own. The silence cloaked in black velvet seemed to spread though out the room. The walls were shrouded with a black standstill until the fabric began to move with a silent heartbeat of its own before blending into the room.

I realized at that moment, that silence had a life as well. All my life I thought that the silence was a product of death, respect, and revere, but I was wrong. Silence is a living being like you or me. Silence is a precursor of disasters to happen or of things to look bright for the future. Silence is both the beginning and the end.

**_TICK_…_TOC_…_TICK_…_TOC_… **

The clock began to move forward again.

TICK…TOC…TICK…TOC…

The clock kept ticking until it reached 7:12 and then……it stopped. The doors burst open with a loud BANG!

"_**Don't touch me! Please!"**_

The sobs of a child filled the room with his grief and desperation. The child's tear streaked face contorted in pain, grief, and outrage.

"**Don't you understand how much I love you!"**

The tall, blond male was looming over the twelve year-old child; his light blue eyes piercing directly into scared, sapphire orbs.

"_**NO!"**_

The small brunette tried running down the stairs before the older male caught him by a scrawny arm.

"_**NO! LET ME GO!"**_

I watched with surprise and horror etched on my face at who it was. I recognized that slender frame, that helpless expression, those iridescent blue eyes. I recognized the child's soft cinnamon colored hair, his tanned, creamy complexion, and the force his resilient, unbreakable spirit encased within his fragile-looking body.

It was Sora, my playful little friend from childhood, the one I'd given my first kiss to, the one I promised to protect from our make-believe monsters found within the play island's caves. I felt guilty. All those years his monsters had been real. Shinra…that man…he had been Sora's monsters and fears turned into a human being.

"**SORA, LOOK AT ME!"**

"_**DON'T TOUCH ME! NOT EVER AGAIN!" **_

With an immense grief, I watched how Sora used all of his childish strength to try and pry Shinra off himself. Sora pushed Shinra with all his strength and was able to push him back a step out the double doors, but at that instant, the momentum that helped propel Sora forward to push Shinra's body was now making him roll down the stairs when his body lost the support from the older man. Shinra tried desperately to catch the young child, but he was unable to do so. Instead, he could only watch with struck-out horror as the child hit each stair. With each tumble, a loud crack of breaking bones echoed throughout the room. The last set stairs proved to be fatal for the boy who hit his head on the edge of the stairs and rolled unconsciously onto the floor.

Shinra clasped his hands over his mouth to muffle a sharp cry of horror.

"**OH…MY…GOOD!"**

I watched Shinra as he fled the scene in panic. I observed as he recklessly left the boy's body on the ground and ran out of sight.

"_But that night_……_I wasn't supposed to die."_

The twelve year-old Sora was standing beside me. He was looking at the body from _his_ memories. As if he was playing a movie of his life for Riku to see.

"_At one time, I was supposed to wake-up. The pain of my broken arm would bring me back to consciousness. I would have crawled out of this place with great difficulty."_

Sora extended his arms to signal the vastness of the lonely room.

"_Then, I would encounter him, Phil, the grouchy gardener working nearby. Phil would call the ambulance. The hospital would eventually find about the constant sexual abuse. The police would be called in and Shinra would be arrested, but there was a catch." _

Sora walked near the unconscious boy and patted him gently. He traced the bleeding cut with his bare fingers.

"_If that happened, my mother Aerith would have died in the hospital that very same night. Her friend Lucrecia would have been contacted, and she would have adopted me after a few months after_……_my road to recovery would have been a long, painful trail, but you would have been there for me. Eventually, after many years, you would make me forget about my painful past."_

Sora looked at me –not with that bright warm smile I had seen when we were children –not even with the melancholic smile he wore while we were in Deep Dive City. This young version of Sora was stoic. His face showed no emotion and his eyes were devoid of any feeling. The Sora that was standing before me was the same twelve year-old Sora who had died almost a decade ago.

"_Now I know, without a doubt, that Shinra did love me. His love was a twisted kind of love, but it was love none the less."_

"But, you were only just a child!" The strong words seemed to fade into the distance as they escaped my lips. Yet Sora did not seem to hear me.

"_Did you know I only loved him as a father? That I loved him as the father I never had? When he married my mother, he would always treat me like a son. He would treat me like a prince. He cared for me and protected me. Those years were the happiest of my life. Then, I met you Riku. You were my very first friend when we moved to Destiny Islands. _

"_I was so happy_……_but then, Shinra became too possessive of me. He took me away from my school and my friends…he took me away from you, Riku. Instead, I was only allowed to play in the gardens. I had private tutor as well. I was all alone and isolated from everyone…including my mother. She started spending prolonged periods of time in the hospital. The doctors did not have a clear diagnosis for her ailment. I sought refuge in who I thought would protect me and shelter me from the pain. He had to share the same worries I had for my mother. Shinra was married to her; I thought he would care_…

"_But I was wrong. Somewhere along the way, he started developing feelings for me. He would always be there to comfort me. He would whisper sweet nothings about my mother getting better, about the three of us going to Radiant Garden together. Then everything changed for the worse. He started kissing my lip with chastely fakeness. In his embrace, the touches would linger a long time. I was scared_…"

Sora continued with a monotone voice and a stoic appearance, but deep inside me, I could feel what he had felt when he had been alive. He had felt the feeling of helplessness, fear, and disgust.

What could a small child do against a full grown adult?

"_When I was nine, the whole torture began for me. I was able to endure because I_……_it doesn't matter anymore."_

"But, Sora…!"

"_Sora died that night eight years ago. Watch what happened next" _

Sora pointed at the dark figure standing next to the dying boy. The dark clad individual loomed over the small child. I could see that there was a silent communication between them, but the secret conversation was alien to me.

"_It is death"_… Sora began to explain in his monotone voice. Soon enough, I was privy to their secret conversation.

"You won't die today, Sora."

The dark clad figure explained removing the hood of his black trench coat. I was surprised to recognize that dark skin, dark brown hair, and those handsome features.

"**_Who are you_…_?"_**

Sora began to interpret the wordless conversation when the dying boy seemed to gaze at a fixed spot without moving his lips.

"I am death, Sora. My name is Uriel, the Angel of Death. I have a proposition to make to you tonight, Sora."

"**_What_…_? Why_…_?"_ **The young Sora standing at my side intoned for the silent lips of the broken child.

"You are supposed to live tonight Sora. There is a man out there; a grouchy gardener working on the nearby greenhouse, his name is Phil. In time, when you crawl out of here, he will call the police, the police will call the ambulance, and in time, you will also heal all the emotional scars, but there is always a catch.

"You see, your mother has been poisoned by Shinra. Small doses of strong arsenic will kill eventually over time. Tonight, as the doctors heal your physical wounds, your mother' life will come to an end. But, do not despair.

"Tonight, I have lost one of the three presiding judges of Hades. Without three presiding judges to rule over Hades, the balance is broken and many spirits will cross to the world of the living. The spirits imprisoned within Hades are the dangerous Kind."

"**_Then_…_why can't you find someone else_…_?"_** Sora asked innocently.

"Ahh…not everyone can be a candidate for the position of a presiding judge. It takes a very special kind of individual."

"**_W-what kind_…_?"_**

"The positions of presiding judges belong to children who have been broken down completely yet have maintained their innocence untainted. But, you also created a separate entity…a personality…that can be use to house the spirit of the judge. Which brings me to the latest proposition I am about to make you. If you decide to become a judge, we will spare the life of your dying mother, but if you decide to live, your mother will die tonight. So, do we have a deal?"

"_Sora loved her mother so much that he decided to sacrifice his life for her. Thus, I became a judge. In return, the Sora you knew these past few days was allowed to age. He, because of his special empathic abilities, was chosen for the position of the first presiding judge."_

"So you and the Sora I knew are two different persons then?"

"**_No, Sora and I_…_we are one person. I just happened to be the stronger part of Sora."_**

Tears began to flow freely from my eyes. The sadness inside my heart was unbearable. The initial shock had passed for me. I no longer believed in rational thought. Sora had shown me so many things…through Sora I had known so many feelings. His pain became my pain. I could feel his fears, his tears, his sadness. He had been all alone.

My feet caved under the weight of my sadness and guilt for not being able to protect Sora. I remembered sobbing like a little child that day. My body shook uncontrollably and mi mind was a complete wreck. This experience had broken part of my spirit. I though of the many time I took life for granted. I though of all the blessings I had in my life that Sora could no afford.

"_You see, Riku_…_fate is only returning back what she took from me a long time ago. I will have what is rightfully mine. You belong to me; Shinra belongs to me as well. He will pay for his crimes committed against humanity and I will be his judge as well as his executioner. We gave him a chance to repent for his sins…he refused to accept that Sora was dead. _

"_Through those children, Shinra sought to possess me_…_my body_……_my soul. In those other children, Shinra saw me, only me. But the time has come when he has to pay. The children he killed were not supposed to have died that early in their lives. We will no longer tolerate his breach of etiquette against the dead. As a judge_……_I shall give him a fate worse than death_…_"_

Such monotone hate…….such tone of voice that is as cold as ice does not belong to such a small child. Such hatred taints the purity of his angelical face. Such coldness in Sora's voice hinders his innocence. But I understand now. The Sora that is standing next to me is a part of Sora. He is the dark part of Sora, the one that holds the position of one of the three Impartial Judges of Hades.

My consciousness became tired. My body felt exhausted and cold. I couldn't stop the tears that fell from my eyes.

At that moment, I felt I would die...

That I had seen many things that no one else had seen……

That I could die in peace now……

For Sora, I would gladly die……I felt like I owed it to him……

"OH.MY.GOD…" I could feel a light tap in my shoulder. Cloud and Aerith exclaimed in unison, and Leon asked with genuine concern "RIKU, ARE YOU O.K.?"

My vision began to clear and my tremulous body began to settle after a long time. After I regained my composure, I told them who I though the body was and how the crime might have happened. I kept faithful to Sora's vision, but I knew I couldn't tell them about my far fetched story or I would be taken for a crazy man. Brokenheartedly, I saw Sora's mother collapse in tears beside the small corpse.

The corpse was taken to a forensic examiner where it was determined that the body indeed belonged to Sora. A few traces of blond hair remained in the boy's tattered clothes. Later, we would have to prove that those hairs belonged to Shinra…

**OOOOOOO**

**S**hinra sat comfortably on his Marlon Push Back Recliner chair looking at a picture of Sora. He sighed heavily before tucking the picture back in his robe's side pocket at the sound of that entire racket going on outside the halls.

"**Sir, this is a private residence. You can't just barge in!" **The voice of a newly hired maid could be heard. She was trying to block the intruding men and preventing them from reaching the second floor of the house. Desperately she tried to block them in vain.

"We can and we will." The young cocky voice of a male officer resounded throughout the hall. The silver-blonde investigators alongside a couple of Radiant Garden's local police enforcement were making their way towards the master bedroom. They pushed the maid aside and the silver-blonde man angrily kicked the door open.

Shinra was caught by surprise. He was not expecting any type of intrusion. Shinra could have sworn that his private security would be able to take care of his intrusion problem. Apparently, he had been mistaken.

Shinra watched with clear fascination as a young man burst through the door of his bedroom and started to recite the Miranda warning.

"You have the right to remain silent."

The insolent youth started pointing a gun at Shinra who was clearly bemused by the situation.

"I'm detective Riku Rosewater from the Deep Dive City Police Department." The young detective introduced himself by flipping his badge. He moved towards the older man to place handcuffs over the unresisting Shinra.

"Tell me…" Shinra questioned with arrogance. "Why am I being detained by you simpleton cops? I will be sure to end your little career after this is over, you cretin."

Riku let Shinra's demeaning insults go through one ear and out the other. His hate for the man had not subsided despite a moth gone by. Each day, Riku dreamt of arresting the man responsible for the child murders in Deep Dive. He wanted to get revenge for Sora, and although he never saw the brunette after their encounter in DI, he was determined to bring that man to justice.

"You are here by charged with the murders of Sora Lionely as well as the Deep Dive City Child Murders. Anything you say can and will be used against you. You have the right to talk with a lawyer before being questioned and to have the lawyer present during the questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you before questioning begins."

Shinra could not stop the laughter escaping from his thin lips. Didn't he know he could afford to pay for the most expensively successful lawyer in the entire planet if he wished to?

The owner and CEO of the Shin-ra Electric Company was detained peacefully that morning. He had already conceived a plan to turn the tables against those puny little investigators that dared to taint his reputation. He would never admit to his crimes, never. Later, Shinra hired the most expensive lawyer money could buy. Both men started to build a defense for the upcoming trial.

**OOOOOO**

**E**xhaustion………yes, exhaustion would be the word to best describe the way we'd been feeling of late. Despite the fact that our investigation had been successful, enough of the evidence had started to surface, and all four mothers had pressed criminal charges against Shinra, the jurors in the trial could not reach an agreement. The jurors' judgments were always divided. Seven of the twelve jurors agreed on a guilty verdict while the remaining five jurors voted non-guilty. For four months now, the trial had been postponed twice because of violence. The initial verdict of the first trial had been guilty, but Shinra had made an appeal to the Supreme Court, so they were all at round two in the courts. Leon, Cloud, and I had been called to testify more than once.

We were all so exhausted. We wanted this to end. We all wanted justice served, but we were starting to believe that Shinra was buying off the judge himself. Everything appeared to be entirely hopeless. Every one of us started to see justice glimmer distantly in the stars –fading into nothing more than helplessness. In two weeks the final judgment would be delivered. But, as I closed my eyes, I knew everything would be over soon.

I plopped tiredly against the mattress of my queen-sized bed. With a heavy sigh I leaned forward just enough to turn off the lamp beside the nightstand, then everything went dark. I believe I fell asleep as soon as my head reached the feather-stuffed pillow to rest for the night. Everything went dark and silent inside my room for the exception of the bright neon signs lighting outside the many commercial buildings on streets. The never ending sound of rain droplets tapped furiously against the windows accompanied by loud peals of thunder tearing through the sky, but the most annoying sounds that anyone can sleep through are the honking of the cars' horns, and the loud music emanating from the many nightclubs surrounding Memory's Skyscraper with their wayward drunks and prostitutes.

Ever since I was a child, I've always been a very heavy sleeper. I can sleep through just about anything. I remember there was a fire started purposefully on one of the raunchiest nightclub surrounding Memory's Skyscraper tower about five months ago. That night, three fire trucks arrived at the scene, several police cars made their way down headquarters to take everyone to the slammer until confessions were made, and a number of ambulances also came to aid severely injured patrons. All I can say for that night was:

I SLEPT THROUGH IT** ALL**.

Never mind the blaring, roaring sounds of the emergency sirens. I slept through it like a new born baby. I didn't find out what happened that night until I set foot on headquarters the next day. Everyone made a joke out of my sleeping abilities the next day.

"HA! **_Everyone_** in Deep Dive City heard it, Riku!" Yuffie stated with sarcasm.

"Yeah, Riku. Everyone in the **_'Whole Friggin'_** city heard about the fires at _Club Hot Rod_, _Club Devastator_, and _Crimson Jazz_. Man, Riku…where were you!?" Rikku chirped in.

"Sleeping…" Reno quipped and everyone started laughing.

So, if I could sleep through a night of havoc, then I could certainly sleep through a normal night.

**OOOOOOO**

**A**hh………the sounds of the gentle ocean clashing against the shore reach my ears to create a divine serenity that is soothing. The mixed smells of salty water and wet sand being carried away by the breeze reach my nostrils to recreate a memory from my childhood. At some level, it fills me with excitement because they are dear memories to me. I open my eyes to find eternal darkness. The sea? Yes, it is a sea, but no, it is not my sea. This is the sea from my nightmares. This is what lies at the end of the world in my dreams. It is absolutely oblivion.

When I was small and Hojo used to be disdainful towards me, I would see this place in my dreams. This was the only refuge I could take in my dreams. I was all alone……then I began my 'rebellious stage' at the age of fifteen. Three years I did as I pleased before I met Uriel. He was like a father to me. He had tried getting closer to me after being caught for a misdemeanor. Caught under juvenile delinquency, he took me under his wing and helped me to become a better man. Now, after what happened with Sora, we rarely speak. So I guess all this stress has brought me back to this dreary island.

I close my eyes and inhale the silence around me. The sounds of the darkened beach bring me no comfort, but somehow, it brings me resignation.

Ri-ku………Riku………

Why so sad………?

"Huh?"

Why so sad…? Did you miss me?

"What? Whose there?"

I open my eyes, but there is nothing but darkness. I scan the beach but find no one in sight –there is absolutely nothing. I can feel a tap on my left shoulder that prompts me to turn around.

"Hi, Sora…" My voice had a hint of surprise attached to it.

"Hey there..." He waved a hand. "Long time no see."

I could see Sora and he was smiling happily at me. He was the Sora I'd met when this adventure began and not the bitter Sora I had met in the basement of the house in DI.

"What are you doing here in my dreams?"

"Your Dreams?" Sora asked. His incredulity was apparent in his voice. "How can you be sure? Perhaps this is my dream."

"I thought you were dead."

"So does that mean I can't dream?"

"No."

"Ah…I thought so, Riku. Well…" Sora walked closer towards me until he sat with me on the shore line.

"I came to tell you something very important. Something I need you to know."

I was surprised when Sora leaned his head like a child against my shoulder. There were no ill intentions, no hate, no pain.

"What's that important thing you have to tell me?"

He snuggled closer against me; wrapping his slender arm against mine and squeezing it tightly. The gentle pressure set upon the arm was enough to cause a slight tingle fear and excitement that coursed through my body.

_What could be so important?_

"I like you they way you are. I wanted to tell you that –despite what part of me told you that time, you are no one's property. Shh- don't say a word. Just listen to what I have to say, please Riku."

When I was about to say something, Sora hushed me by placing his index finger on my lips. I nodded twice my consent and stayed silent thereafter.

"I want you to avoid tomorrow's hearing in court."

"What!?"

"Shh! You promised me!"

_He looked so distressed that time_…………

"I know that you've been attending the trial for the Deep Dive City Child Murders, but you can't go tomorrow."

"Why?"

_That was all I could say at that moment_…………

"Please?" Sora pleaded with a tone of desperation while his grip against my arm became tighter. "Please?"

"Why, Sora. That is all I want to know, just 'why'?"

"Stop being too curious Riku! Remember, curiosity killed the cat. Just please…do as I say. Please?"

I looked at Sora curiously for a second before deciding to stay quiet. Looking back at it, I never compromised to anything that night.

"All right, all right, I promise."

_Just a little white lie to keep him content_………

"Thank you Riku."

**OOOOOOO**

"Argh……" Cloud groaned with exasperation –which is usually rare of him. "This is so boring."

"Well, there is nothing to do." Leon stated bluntly. For the past half hour, Leon had been tipping his chair backwards out of undiluted boredom. Cloud was resting his head on his hands folded neatly on top of his desk. Once in a while, Cloud would exert a deep sigh that would blow the bangs out of his eyes. Meantime, I was playing with a sharpened pencil. I was chewing on the eraser trying to kill time. We had no new cases to work on.

"Why the long faces?"

Chief Leblanc startled the three of us back to reality. His demeanor was as calm as always; a gentle, fatherly smile gracing his usually serious face.

"The ever so hyper Rikku is not allowing us to help with the cold cases since there is no work yet assigned to us." Leon stated simply.

"Ah…I see, you are suspended from work until the trial ends, am I right,"

"Yes…Chief Leblanc. How did you know?" Cloud responded a bit lethargic.

"Well…" He added guiltily "it is state policy in special cases like this one."

"Yeah well, they're still paying us and making us come over here…" Leon added "They might as well make us work."

"That's right; it makes us feel like freeloaders or something." I agreed.

"Tell you guys what, how about I let you have the rest of he day off. It'll our own little secret, but it's just for today boys, so don't get too excited. I guess a little bit of sun will make your entire pale complexions look more 'alive'."

Uriel smiled a reassuring smile as he dismissed us for the day.

**OOOOOOO**

**C**loud, Leon, and I looked at our wrist watches to reach the same conclusion –it past noon and a quarter till one. The day was bright outside and for once it was not raining. It is a rare sight to see since it rains 281 days out of the 365 days in Deep Dive City.

"The trial ends today doesn't it?"

I don't know why I said or why I had spaced out. It was the sound of my own voice so distant that brought me back to reality again.

"Yes, today the final verdict will be given for the Deep Dive Child Murders." Cloud confirmed positively sure.

"The trial starts at one, we have fifteen minutes, and we're within a walking distance." Leon spoke –flatly as usual, but this time his voice had a supportive tone.

I checked my wrist watch for confirmation and decided to go……

**B**y one o' clock the trial had started. The Supreme Court Judges were reviewing the last batch of incriminating evidence against Shinra. At the near end of the trial, each one of the mothers' gave the judges a plea for well deserved justice. From the look on their faces I could not judge what their final verdict would be. _Then, that is when it happened again._ My eyes played tricks on me as they blurred out of focus and everything appeared to swirl around me.

Long, black shadows with bright yellow eyes started to materialize from the floor in the form of tar-like mist. These shadows……they moaned horribly loud in un-ending pain and suffering as their contorted bodies moved back and forth in one place. I rubbed my eyes hard to see if I was hallucinating, but then, right before me –in what looked like a parallel universe from a science fiction movie, Sora was standing. He had that same melancholic smile like the one I'd seen since the first day I saw him, but this time, his sad visage was directed towards me and I felt guilty as the promise I made to him last night popped into my hazy memory.

**_I had promised him I wouldn't go_…**

**_How could I've forgotten_……**

**_Something as important as a promise_………_and I forgot_……**

Then, Sora's saddened appearance changed. His expression was no longer sad but serious. In that grim, clouded parallel universe, Sora was sitting alongside twelve other people. They were all dressed the same and they all had similar expressions.

**_Their expressions so_…_so empty_…**

Surrounding them were those horrid black creatures.

**_They seemed to wait and wait_……**

When it seemed like an eternity of silence, Sora began to speak.

"For interfering with the designs of the underworld, for killing people whose time on Earth was not supposed to be short, for not taking advantage of the offer we've arranged for you, we, the Council of Hades, deem you responsible and guilty for all the following charges…"

Everything seemed so surreal at that moment…

I could only watch in tremendous awe and fear……

I know now that at that time I wasn't the only one to witness this other-worldly trial. In fact, I know that Shinra was witnessing the trial as well. He would mumble incoherent words at time like: "It can't be…" and "You are dead…" or "Why is this happening to me…? This can't be real!" I don't have an idea of how long in real time the surreal trial lasted, but the verdict that Sora gave will for ever be etched in my mind.

"I, the First Judge of Hades, find Shinra guilty of all of the aforementioned crimes. For blocking and interfering with the designs of Hades, _I condemn_ _you_ to _live_in _hell on earth_ until you die. Until then, those whom you****have killed have the right to decide your punishment on earth. _Once you die_ and _become_ the _sole property of Hades_, your _secondtrial_will commence to _decide_ the _future _of _your soul_ Until we meet again, this jury is adjourned…"

As the Hades' judges vanished, those hideous creatures gravitated towards Shinra with cold grasping hands. I saw him frighten at that moment –even when the earthly trial became more lucid to my eyes.

**_But everything happened so quickly_…**

In his moment of inebriated terror, a desperately fleeting Shinra escaped the guard's custody and took the guard's gun to defend himself against those horrid shadows closing in on him. Several shots were fired that echoed the foreshadowing end of a few lives.

**_In the end, everything went completely blank_……_completely silent_**.

_To be continued… _

**What will happen next? Find out in the next installment of** **H.D.U.I.!**

**A few words from the author: **

Sorry, I apologize for taking so long to complete this chapter. There in no excuse as to why I didn't up-date sooner, but I felt the needed to take a small break from this story.

Where's the meat you ask (the reunion between Sora and Riku)? I promise that it'll come on the next and final chapter of H.D.U.I. ****


	7. Chapter 7

_**H**_ades _**D**_etective _**U**_nit _**I**_nvestigators

By:

Katan Yue

_**Disclaimer:**_ The main characters used in this story are the sole property of Square Enix _Kingdom Hearts_ and their creators. Other characters belonging to any _Final Fantasy_ games are also part of their creators. The character of Uriel belongs to Kaori Yuki's _Angel Sanctuary_ series.

**Word from the Author:** _Wow……I can't believe it! The story's final chapter is finally done. I went through several drafts before finally deciding on this one. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed!!!!!_

**General Warning: **This Chapter is rated **M**ature for a reason. The Yaoi scene is the unedited version. Same drill as with my previous works. Although I've read pretty graphic works in this site, if somebody feels offended, contact me beforehand so that I can remove the offensive material. Please wait until I can respond in the afternoon. Thank you.

_**Alternate Universe**_

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**H.D.U.I.**

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**Chapter Seven:** **In the End**

**I** take a few moments to light the candles and to reminisce about the many changes that have occurred in more than three years since the courtroom incident. I give a few moments of silence to remember the victims and their sorrow stricken families. Time has gone by. Time has healed many wounds and time has opened many others. There are many things that I regret. There are many things that I could have done, but didn't.

There is a sound of fizz coming out of the kitchen...and……

SHIT!!!

I immediately rush to the kitchen but the damage is done; I've completely charred the spaghetti and the rest of the meal is inedible too.

DAMN IT!!!

And just as if the timing was ever perfect, the door bell rings its reverberant tingling sound. Wiping my hands on the nearest dishtowel, with panic levels rising above critical status, I drag my self to the door.

"SORA!?" I find my self almost screaming in a high pitched voice.

"Hi." He gives a meek hand wave and I catch myself blushing like a love-struck teenager on their first crush.

"Hi" I wave back with a flushing face. Have I mentioned that I have a nasty habit of tucking stray strands of hair behind my ears whenever I get nervous? Well, guess what I was doing.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Sora asked.

"OH, Oh!

"Please come in, right this way sir." Moving out of the door frame and bowing slightly, I led Sora into my new small apartment.

Sora gave me a weird look but he entered none the less.

"Is something burning?" My brunette companion asked startled by the pungent smell of charcoaled pasta. As to be expected, his nose led him straight to the kitchen where he discovered the many un-edible, toxic dishes laying out on the stove.

"How long did it take to make this mess?"

"About twenty to thirty minutes." I confessed with shame.

"I guess that's why you are an investigator and not a chef." Sora mused while assessing the kitchen's entire damage.

"Why you! Ah….. I'm appalled that'd you even……" I acted as offended as I could but Sora saw straight through my visage.

"You are such a drama queen, Riku. Do you know how long it's going to take to clean this mess?"

Sora pointed to all mess around him, but I was going to have none of that.

"Not tonight, Sora. Tonight is our night." I added selfishly.

I laced my arms around Sora's slim waist to bring his body close to mine.

"I love you." I whispered sweetly in his ear.

Sora giggled and squirmed within my embrace.

"Stop it."

"You're ticklish, Sora?"

"VERY." He admitted.

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**I**n the end, Sora had to settle for a home made delicacy made of a carved-out Honey Dew melon with vanilla ice cream at the center. _Ok so I'm not a world class chef_.

I watched mesmerized as the candle light, combined with striking sunset, played with the beautiful tones on Sora's skin. And for the first time, I watched his beautiful cerulean eyes sparkle with happiness.

"What are you looking at, Riku!?!"

"Nothing, really." I put my hand up as if surrendering. "Besides, you're the one that's giggling!"

"_Am_ not…!"

"_Are_ too."

"Are we acting like kids here?"

"Well……" I stretched my seemingly tired limbs before getting up to retrieve the empty dishware and taking it back to the kitchen. When I returned, I stood behind Sora's chair until he sensed my presence and looked up. With a devilish smile I added. "You are the only one acting childish."

"Ah……" Sora gasped. "Why you……!"

But before he could say anything more I bent down to kiss him chastely on the lips. Sora blushed, but didn't say anything.

There was a moment of awkward silence between us.

Drip…………Drip……..Drizzle.

Water started to pour down from the sky and it looked amazing on the little rustic place that is known as Sunset terrace here in twilight Town. And for a moment, our awkwardness went forgotten with the pouring rain.

"It's beautiful…" Sora breathed mesmerized by the sight of heavy rain on a sunny climate. I had to agree, the view from the apartment's big rustic windows was amazing.

"Just like you…" I whispered into Sora's ear and caught a glimpse of crimson cheeks from my companion who responded by giving a tight squeeze to the arm I had wrapped around his shoulders.

Life……Destiny……Fate……or whatever it is has a strange way of working. It……they gave me a chance to know Sora, and then they took him away from me. Then, they reunited us together but under different circumstances, but the great thing……is that we are here, we are together again, and I can protect him.

I can try to make the pain Shinra created go away. I can give him confidence in life. It has taken me a while to coax Sora out of his defensive shell but the trouble is well worth it if I can see him smile the way he used to smile when we were little kids.

As for the punishment Sora –no– the first judge of Hades gave to Shinra; it is worse than death could ever be. I have seen it and I know I wouldn't wish it upon my most hated enemies. I've seen his victim's hateful, vengeful eyes…and how they haunt Shinra. All the victims seek revenge in the purest of forms. And Axel is with them.

After the courtroom incident and what he and I were able to witness, he became insane. He was deemed insane and dangerous and he was locked away at a mental institution. And every night, the concentrated rage of all his victims becomes a prison for him. Their hate rots away the wall, the time, the space, and everything becomes a vision of hell on earth. Every night they haunt him and pursue him and try to kill him, to tear the flesh from his body, the spirit, his soul.

When everything is said and done, Shinra is till bound by a straight jacket and he is still locked alone in a padded room, then he realizes that everything was just a dream and that when he dies; he will become a permanent resident of hell where his victims will truly claim him. I truly feel sorry for the poor bastard, that is, until I look at Sora and all the damage he's caused him.

It has taken me a while to get Sora to open-up more to me, to make him smile more, to get him to express his feelings better. Our relationship has progressed more and more as the time goes by, and just when I'm lost in La-La-Land, Sora surprises me with an unexpected kiss.

The shock of Sora initiating a kiss freezes me. I feel the hesitation from him turn into shame, into guilt. This is the time where I feel stupid and have the urge to kick my own ass if I could, but instead, I tell him it's ok and kiss him back slowly at first and then with a mounting passion.

I can't hold it back any longer. I NEED him, I WANT him, and I want him so bad. We've only tried it a couple of times since the beginning of this year, but I had promised Sora more time. I want him to fell safe, secure, and in control of his own body. The last few times, just about the time I was about to take him, he has me to stop. It is so hard to control myself when I'm this horny.

Whether my actions or his, we have toppled over the bed. Somehow, I wonder how we got here. Between the living room window and my bed there is a considerable distance. But nothing matters any more; Sora is all I see.

My lips leave his lips and start to graze over his flushed face until they trail up and down his sensitive swanlike neck.

"Riku!"

Sora exhales deeply and clings tighter to my arms when I whisper the word "beautiful …." against his ears.

Suddenly, clothes are an obstruction against heated skin, time seems endless, and hands are not fast enough to touch. With that in mind, Sora and I make a whole adventure of undressing.

"Stop it!" Ha-ha-h-haaa "You're…" ha-ha-ha "tickling me!!!" Sora laughs uncontrollably while batting my hand away.

"You're the one who's got about a million buckles everywhere!" I tickled him even more until he cried for mercy. "Ok, Ok…I'll help you!"

And when we were both completely naked, I took my time writing both of our names on his body……with my tongue.

R- became the first letter to be traced by my tongue on Sora's naked flesh from left to right.. The pink, wet muscle took it's time teasing my lover's hard nipple until it is left alone as the next letters start to follow. The letters I and then K follow with the same teasing technique until it culminated with the letter U upon Sora's right nipple. The sign & wa traced gently on the flat planes of his stomach until it ended with several dips of my tongue on his navel.

Just imagine where I got to spell my lover's name……

Stings of excitement prickle my body as I watch Sora's lithe body writhe, gasp, moan, and contort from the pleasure of the sensual ministration that are applied to his wanton body. I watch with heavily glazed eyes as Sora tries to mouth silent gasps wile clenching and unclenching his hand on my now messy hair.

I must have paused for a long time or just long enough to give Sora some time to recover because in a matter of an instant, the mischievous little brat was already stroking the tip of my erection with teasing motions.

FUCK!!!!!!!

The foreplay lasted for as long as we were to handle it. We touched, teased, and tasted until our bodies demanded release.

"R-ri-ku!"

Sora moaned passionately as lubricated fingers stretched the crevice of his entrance; the inward outward motions of my fingers creating a pleasurable friction while rubbing against the sensitivity of his prostate. Sora was ready on his knees and thrusting desperately against my fingers. He was begging for that sweet release that only sex could give.

"Almost babe…" I moaned with uncontrolled lust while both prodding inside of him and pleasuring his aching arousal.

Carefully I stretched the tight passage of Sora's entrance until he was finally ready to take me in completely. Since we don't do it too often to brag, it takes both our bodies to adjust whenever we alternate, but hell the rest is bliss.

I push my fully erect penis past Sora's tight ring of muscles slowly. Peering down at him, I watch how tightly he is holding to the sheets. We just freeze there together; allowing us a chance to get reacquainted with our bodies becoming one until Sora is comfortable enough for me to start moving. I set a slow pace to begin with until the pace quickens, my thrusts become more frantic, our moans mingle into a single cry until we can't hold it any longer.

"Sora…" Ngh……"I love you………"

_And when the late of the night had settled, when the light of the candles had finally snuffed-out, when our spent bodies had finally settled, sleep devoured our consciousness greedily._

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**W**hen I wake-up the next morning, I find part of my bed empty. My hand reaches to caress the empty space on the bed where Sora is supposed to be; only to confirm that he is indeed absent.

For once, just once I would love to have Sora wake-up next to me after a night of incredible, mid blowing sex, but I know that it can't happen. I know he has a duty that is more important than that of our relationship, besides, it was time to send his body up for a checkup. Believe it or not, the bodies that Uriel creates are incredible pieces of organic machinery, but they have to sleep during maintenance every four months, the schedule for each individual is different from others; especially if they are created with years of difference.

_Why do I bother telling you all this, you may ask._

_Well, let us say that if you can see me, if you can hear me, and if you can talk to me, then you are all ready dead._

"_So if I find you doing something inappropriate for a dead soul, I will have to deport you."_

That's right…the day that Shinra tried to escape was the day where three jurors, one security guard, my two companions and I died because of the bullets fired from Shinra's revolver. That day our lives took a drastic change; I change that I will never regret because I'm close to the person I love the most.

But, I still have hopes that we will reunite again after we are reborn. I want to live again, but this time, I want Sora by my side for real!

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**THE END **

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Author blushes. I can't believe I wrote that!!!!

Bad KY, bad KY.


End file.
